Terming next few weeks "difficult" for Pakistan with regard to COVID-19 pandemic, Punjab Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar said on Friday that the coronavirus is badly affecting our economy.
Talking to newsmen here at the Governor's House on Friday, the Governor made an appeal to the people to adopt precautionary and preventive measures for combating this pandemic.
"People would have to show responsibility. Implement the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and stay home," he said.
Making teaching of the Holy Quran with translation compulsory in all the provincial universities, the governor constituted a seven-member committee of the vice-chancellors to submit its recommendations on how to make it part of the syllabus.
"It will be compulsory for Muslim students to attend the 'Quran with Translation' lectures. All universities should make teaching of 'Quran with Translation' part of their syllabus," he said.
The seven-member committee will submit its first draft recommendations by May 10 which will be transmitted to the vice-chancellors of other public and private universities and the Ulema in the province.
He said feedback from all quarters would be discussed on May 17, adding that the committee would submit final recommendations on May 22 which would be duly implemented across the province.
He said the government had taken effective measures to combat the coronavirus disease and doctors and paramedical staff were on the frontline fighting against this pandemic.
Answering a question, he said the matter of reduction in university fee in the wake of the pandemic was under consideration.
Moreover, the Punjab Mental Health Helpline of Government College University Lahore has initiated tele-counseling services for the caregivers of dementia and Alzheimer's patients.
Punjab Minister for Health Dr Yasmin Rashid inaugurated the Helpline which is providing counseling to people suffering from depression, anxiety or other psychological issues due to COVID19 or subsequent lockdown.
Dr. Yasmin Rashid said that family caregivers of people with dementia or Alzheimer were called the invisible second patients, and sometimes they needed psychological support and counseling, and this Helpline for them would play a critical role especially in times of lockdown due to COVID-19.
The minister said that the coronavirus patients were recovering fast in different hospitals across Punjab, adding that people above the age of 60 were most affected by this virus.
According to a report, in Punjab, 83 medical workers have been affected so far. Among the affectees, there are 53 doctors, 12 nurses and 18 health workers.
On the other hand, Speaker Punjab Assembly Parvez Elahi in a statement said the Punjab government should immediately release funds allocated in the budget for lawyers' to help resolve their difficulties.
At present, every segment in Pakistan is facing financial difficulties and the government is helping the needy people under Ehsas Programme but the lawyers, who are a backbone in the country, are deprived so far, he said.
Elahi said that summary prepared for funds of the lawyers should be approved forthwith because the lawyers can neither do any business nor any job.
The government is duty bound to provide every possible help to the lawyers community in this difficult time.
Comments
Comments are closed.