In pursuance of directions of Punjab government, health authorities have adopted necessary arrangements to provide medical cover to the participants of Zuljinnah processions on Youm-e-Ashur. "Availability of necessary medicines have been ensured in all the hospitals, while doctors, all staff nurses, paramedical staff have been asked to ensure their presence during Ashura holidays," sources told Business Recorder.
Hospitals will remain open and staff including doctors and paramedics will also be on duty round the clock. All the accident and emergency departments of all the hospitals would be operational as per routine, the sources added. The Punjab Emergency Service (Rescue 1122) has chalked out a comprehensive plan to provide emergency medical cover to the mourning processions.
Rescue 1122 will also remain alert during Ashura holidays to meet any emergency situation. All mobile posts and ambulances with medical kits will be moving along with the processions to provide mourners with immediate medical treatment if needed.
Sources in Rescue 1122 told this scribe that rescuers have been assigned special emergency duties in all major cities of Punjab including Rawalpindi, Jhelem, Attock, Murree, Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan, Rahimyar Khan, Gujranwala, Bahawalpur, Sargodha, Sialkot, D.G. Khan and Sahiwal. In Lahore, rescuers will also remain on emergency alert with fully equipped emergency ambulances, fire vehicles etc, while rescue mobile post will move along with the processions of Ashura on 9th and 10th Moharram.
Further, Rescuers with their emergency vehicles will also be alert at their stations. Citizens must dial 1122 in case of any emergency since only timely call could ensure timely rescue, the sources added. The Children's Hospital has also set up "crisis centre" for Youme Ashura holidays and cancelled the leaves of all staff nurses, paramedical staff and doctors.
Medical Director, Professor Dr Ahsan Waheed Rathore said here on Saturday that a special plan has been chalked out for Ashura arrangements. He said Dr Ahmed Jamal Samdani has been appointed in charge of crisis centre and hotline numbers 042-99238620-21 were also available for the public facility.
The Children's Hospital has also provided extra medicines in emergency ward and all student nurses would also be ready in their hostels in any emergency situation, Professor Ashan Waheed Rathore added. Moreover, in view of security situation the Punjab government imposed ban on pillion riding from 8th to 10th Moharram-ul-Harram. "Ban on pillion-riding has been imposed in the interest of law and order and safety of the people," sources said.
The Home Secretary said that all Majalis and processions will be monitored throughout the province and all out security arrangements have been finalised. He said that besides police force, commandos in plainclothes would also be deployed on Youm-e-Ashur. He said that there is complete harmony between Ulema of all schools of thought and followers of different sects and members of Ittehad Bain-ul-Muslimeen Committee will accompany processions of mourners.
Secretary Home made an appeal to the people to abide by the ban imposed on pillion riding for ensuring security arrangements made by the government for Moharram-ul-Harram. He said that terrorism and extremism could be controlled only through the support of general public.