AJK CS Chairs Meeting Concerned To Covid-19 New Wave

MUZAFFARABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 19th Oct, 2020 ) :The Chief Secretary of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Dr Shahzad Khan Bangish chaired a high level meeting held here on Monday regarding the new wave of coronavirus in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).

The meeting appraised the latest situation of covid-19 and the preventive measures which have taken so far and steps to be taken for future in that regard.

The meeting attended by Special Secretary for Interior Affairs Abdul Hameed Mughal, Commissioner Muzaffarabad Division Tehzibun un Nisa, Director General Health Dr Sardar Aftab Khan, Deputy Commissioner Muzaffarabad Abdul Hameed Kiyani, Principal Staff Officer Badder Munir, DHO Muzaffarabad Dr Muhammad Saeed Awan whereas, Commissioner Mirpur Division Chaudhary Raqib, Commissioner Ponch Division Masood ur Rehman also attended the meeting through video link.

The meeting decided that if positive cases were reported from educational institutions, government offices and other public places, the Rapid Response Force(RRF) will evaluate the situation at the spot and can suggest lockdown of the concerned area and district administration has to ensure its implementation but the decision of the Health department would be the final in that regard.

The DG Health Dr Aftab, on the occasion briefed the meeting about the latest coronavirus situation in AJK.

The AJK Chief Secretary Bangish addressing the meeting said this was the third consecutive meeting to assess the coronavirus situation and expressed his severe concern on the gradual rise of the virus cases in AJK in common and particular in the state capital. However, he expressed his satisfaction over the implementation of the standard operating procedures (SOPs) by the administration He opined the Health department was the main stakeholder and had to play its key role to meet the challenges of the pandemic and it had authorized to suggest lockdown in the concerned area in case of any coronavirus case was reported.

The Chief Secretary said that RRF would also mark the area of coronavirus affected and will suggest lockdown of the concerned department or area and mark its boundary, he said and also directed the concerned departments to refrain from unnecessary lockdown.

He stressed upon the officials of the meeting to adopt SOPs strictly at the wedding functions, markets, public transport, government and civil departments, political gatherings and other such public places.

Later, Shahzad Bangish also visited Madina Market and other markets of the capital and asked the shopkeepers to follow the SOPs strictly to prevent theselves from the pandemic.