TAXILA: General Officer Commanding (GOC) Maj Gen Majid Jehangir on Tuesday said the government and armed forces were working together to protect the nation from Covid-19.

He was speaking at a meeting held at the Deputy Commissioner Office Attock on Tuesday to review measures taken against the disease by the health department and local administration in Attock district.

Commissioner retired Capt Mohammad Mehmood, Deputy Commissioner Ali Annan Qammar, District Police Officer Khalid Hamdani and officials of the health department, local administration and army were also present on the occasion.

Maj Gen Majid Jehangir said the armed forces were utilising all resources to help the government in its fight against the pandemic.

“We can win this war together as a nation,” he added.

He instructed officials of the health department and local administration for strict implementation of WHO SOPs for tackling the disease at the grassroots level.

Deputy Commissioner Ali Annan Qammar briefed the participants about the current statistics, action taken, issues and future planning of the district government. He elaborated on the arrangements taken by the district administration to contain the virus.

He said due to strict monitoring by the local administration and health department, there was no Covid-19 patient in the district at present.

“The district administration has succeeded in adopting exclusive and timely precautionary measures to contain Covid-19 pandemic,” he added.

Mr Qammar said important measures included establishing quarantine centres, an isolation centre at DHQ Hospital and introducing tele-medicine portal to facilitate ordinary flu, cough and fever patients.

He said roads were being sprayed with antiseptic solution by Rescue 1122 fire tenders on daily basis, pigeon market had been closed to stop birds’ sale and purchase, Section 144 imposed across the city and every kind of congregation, including marriage ceremonies, were banned.

The DC said those coming from abroad were tested and those allowed to go home were also being monitored.

Briefing on the occasion, District Police Officer Khalid Hamdani said the police had enhanced pickets to restrict public movement.Later Maj Gen Majid Jehangir visited the quarantine centre at Government Technical College and reviewed the facilities.

Published in Dawn, April 8th, 2020