Essential Industry To Be Opened In Phases: Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan

Umer Jamshaid Published April 04, 2020 | 04:59 PM

Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan said on Saturday the government would open the essential industry in phases to ensure that food-supply chain was not affected in the country

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 4th Apr, 2020 ) :Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan said on Saturday the government would open the essential industry in phases to ensure that food-supply chain was not affected in the country.

"The government was in consultation with the industry to chalk-out Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) regarding health and hygiene of the workers before granting permission", she said in a media interaction during a visit of a quarantine Centre here at the Jinnah Hospital.

To a question, Dr. Firdous said the government had lifted ban on the goods transport for maintaining uninterrupted food supply, adding that the permission for wheat reaping and the allied industry was part of government's efforts to save the country from impending economic challenges.

About the construction industry, she said the grant of status of industry to the construction sector was a decision aimed at providing jobs to the unemployed labour in the wake of coronavirus pandemic, adding that the government had earmarked Rs 280 billion for procurement of 8.

2 million ton wheat in the country to spearhead economic activity.

To a query, the SAPMA said she had visited the hospital on the instructions of Prime Minister Imran Khan to show solidarity with the doctors, paramedics and other staff who were the first line of defense against coronavirus outbreak in the country, adding that the whole nation owed to the doctors and the paramedical staff. "I've come to gee up, my medical community" and "Jinnah hospital is linked with Allama Iqbal Medical College (AIMC) which was built by Chinese support.

My visit is symbolic in many ways as the nation, in the war on COVID-19, needs vision like poet of the East Allama Iqbal, strong will of Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and friendship like China", she responded.

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