Urges overseas Kashmiris to avoid unnecessary travel to the state,
Muzaffarabad: (Parliament Times) As the corona virus (COVID-19) spreads rapidly around the world and has entered in Pakistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government by taking serious and tireless precautionary measures to combat its spread in the state.
In this regard, AJK government constituted an 18-member State Coordination Committee (SCC) to oversee implementation of measures to avert the impending threat of corona-virus in the liberated territory.
The committee is headed by Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider and includes Minister for Health, Minister for Civil Defense and Disaster Management, Chief Secretary, Inspector General of Police, Commander 1AK Brigade, Director General Health, Director General Information, Commissioners of all divisions and others officers concerned as members.
Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider Khan is presiding over the SCC meeting on daily basis. Member of the committee including Commissioners, DIGs, Deputy Commissioners, SSPs, DHOs and others participate in the meeting through video-link. Chief Secretary Mathar Niaz Rana presents a thorough report on the day to day operations and implementations on the decisions to Prime Minister in the meeting.
Similarly the heads of the sub-committees; Divisional Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners also present their daily reports in the meeting. The AJK government had also constituted sub committees for the hundred percent implementations on the government policies to prevent the outbreak of the corona pandemic. These committees are being headed by the relevant secretaries and deputy commissioners.
Senior Member Board of Revenue, Additional Chief Secretary Development, Secretary Information, Director General Health and others are also heading f the sub-committees.
The Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider Khan took number of solid steps to effectively combat the spread of corona pandemic in the state. These include; strict screening and checking system at all entry points of the state, establishment of quarantine centers at divisional and district level and imposing section 144 as a precautionary measure to help stop the spread of corona virus in the state.
Prime Minister also converted newly constructed Prime Minister House into quarantine center for the corona affected patients of the state.
Due to the high-alert, all educational institutions have been closed, inter-provincial, inter-districts and intra city transport has been suspended. Meanwhile, all business centers, hotels, shops and markets are closed except pharmacies, medical stores.
Due to the effective mechanism and steps taken by the government, public showing the sense of responsibility started implementation on the government directives.
The prime minister directed the authorities concerned to keep close liaison with all segments of the society particularly the religious scholars to create awareness among the people about the pandemic.
Moreover, several committees are performing their assigned duties in this regard. A committee headed by Additional Chief Secretary Development is monitoring the implementation status of the government directives and arrangements on corona pandemic.
Director General Health is heading a committee, which is working on the healthcare, medicines, and equipments throughout the state. 700 LHWs and staff is compiling the details of the persons returned to the state from abroad.
A sub-committee headed by Senior Member Board of Revenue is full time working on rehabilitation and precautionary measures. Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners, DIGs, SSPs are the members of this committee.
Secretary Food is heading the committee to ensure sufficient stock of edibles and other basic amenities of life to masses throughout the state.
To aware public about the corona virus, its precautionary measures, testing facilities and treatments, a committee headed by Secretary Information has been constituted and performing its duties. DG Information, Presidents of Press Clubs, representatives of journalist’s bodies are the member of this committee. Committee is effectively disseminating awareness literature in this regard.
AJK government has appealed overseas Kashmiris to avoid unnecessary travel to the state in corona pandemic.