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Shehbaz Sharif asks govt for taking steps to prevent corona within prisons

Shehbaz Sharif asks govt for taking steps to prevent corona within prisons
March 24, 2020
LAHORE (92 News) – Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) president Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday asked the PTI-led incumbent government for taking steps to prevent novel coronavirus outbreak within prison. Addressing a press conference via video link after his return from the UK, the opposition leader in National Assembly said that today, the number of cases in the country stands at 892 and a positive case has also been reported in a Lahore prison. “The government should take steps inside the prison to avoid COVID-19,” he added.
Not time for politics
“We should avoid doing politics on the current scenario and also refrain from using such words which can divide the nation, Shehbaz Sharif urged the entire nation. He also requested the entire nation to come together to combat the coronavirus pandemic. “Pakistan is facing the biggest challenge of coronavirus but we have to fight it by keeping themselves clean,” the opposition leader maintained
Make coronavirus tests free of cost for commoner
While putting forward demands, Shehbaz Sharif requested the government to provide 10,000 safety kits to the doctors and make coronavirus tests free of cost for the commoner.
Federation should decrease oil prices by Rs 70 to Rs 80
“The federation should decrease the oil prices by Rs 70 to Rs 80 and financially help the daily wagers. There must be sufficient number of ventilators at hospitals to handle the situation,” he asked the current government.
Shehbaz urges PM to summon session of CCI
The former Punjab chief minister urged the prime minister to summon a session of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) to address the issue. “Doctors’ salary should also be increased and during this time we can save around Rs80 billion if we decrease the interest rate and divert [the savings] towards initiatives to combat the virus,” Shehbaz said. He also added that up to Rs5000 electricity bills and Rs2000 gas bills should be deferred as people do not have the resources to pay.
Calls for lockdown
“We need to come together at this time and play our part in combating the virus. The political leadership had called for a lockdown but it did not happen. It is good to see the provinces taking action and enforcing the lockdown. The Punjab government did the right thing,” he noted.
Serious mistake about arrangement for Zaireen in Taftan
Referring the arrangements at Taftan, the opposition leader said if protocols had been followed, the situation would not have deteriorated. “If there had been proper testing, quarantine, isolation centres, then this outbreak would not have happened in Pakistan,” he said.