NCOC consults provinces on construction industry issues, resumption of domestic travel

ISLAMABAD, Apr 22 (APP):The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Tuesday held consultation with the provincial governments on the issues related to the revival of construction activities and resumption of domestic travel halted due to the coronavirus, testing capacity, and overall media strategy to mobilize the masses for preventing the contagion’s spread during Ramazan.
The NCOC meeting was chaired by Minister for Planning, Development, Reforms and Special Initiatives Asad Umar and attended by Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, Minister for Industries and Production Hammad Azhar, Advisor to the Prime Minister on Commerce and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood, Minister for Economic Affairs Khusro Bakhtiar, Minister for National Food Security Syed Fakhar Imam, SAPM on Health Dr Zafar Mirza, Prime Minister’s Focal Person on COVID-19 Dr Faisal Sultan, Minister for Energy and Power Omar Ayub Khan, Minister for Interior Brig (R) Ejaz Ahmad Shah, National Disaster Management Authority Chairman Lieutenant General Muhammad Afzal, and NCOC Chief Coordinator Lieutenant General Hamood Uz Zaman Khan.
Additional Chief Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Shehzad Bangash, Chief Secretary Punjab Major (R) Azam Suleman Khan, Chief Secretary Sindh Imtiaz Ali Shah, Chief Secretary Balochistan Captain (R) Fazeel Asghar, and am Azad Jammu and Kashmir government representative joined the meeting through videolink.
Speaking on the occasion, Minister for Plannning Asad Umar said it had been decided through the NCOC forum to have uniformity in lifting restrictions from the construction industry. The associated industries in other provinces were facing unfair competition from the KP industry, which had managed sufficient supplies so the latter should halt its units, he added.
“The construction industry will be revived under a unanimous policy decision in the second phase as now is the first phase of lifting the restrictions,” he added.
Dr Firdous said her ministry had prepared strategic and technical messages for public awareness to contain COVID-19. The Pakistan Television, Radio Pakistan and APP (Associated Press of Pakistan) would be the official media portals for disseminating public information messages on COVID-19 during Ramazan.I
She said in a meeting with Council of Islamic Ideology Chairman Dr Qibla Ayaz the procedure for live telecast of Taraweeh prayer had been decided. The prayer would be broadcast at PTV.
Asad Umar suggested that public awareness messages of political leaders including the Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition and others should be recorded and telecast during Ramazan to educate the masses for observing safety guidelines.
Minister for Industries and Production Hammad Azhar while briefing the meeting said the industries related to the construction, including sanitary ware, pipes and aluminium had been opened in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. In Sindh, it was decided that industries having labour in its premises would initiate their operations after complying with the SOPs. However, the remaining provinces raised reservations on the process due to the absence of a level playing field in the prevailing scenario.
“It has been decided to launch the second phase of easing lockdown after April 15 or at the end of the month whereas this is the first phase,” he added.
The minister supported the decision made by Asad Umar and urged the KP authorities to accept it.
Additional Chief Secretary KP Shehzad Bangash responded that only two industries related to the construction sector were allowed to carry out their operations.
Chief Secretary Punjab Azam Khan on the occasion said the authorities in Punjab were very clear on reviving the industries linked with the construction sector and allowed only the units decided at the forum. “If any further relaxation is being made then it will lead to commencement of all the market operations across the province and it will increase the risk of the corona outbreak.”
Chief Secretary Sindh Imtiaz Ali Shah informed the meeting that a committee was formed to allow the construction industry to resume its operations after following SOPs.
Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan briefed the meeting on the issue of resumption of domestic travel. He said the inbound and outbound air traffic was going on whereas pressure was being built up to open domestic flights as well.
He suggested that limited flights should be allowed at domestic level as partial domestic flights for Gilgit Baltistan were operational and chartered flights were also going on. “Private local airlines should be allowed along with the PIA to operate on alternate days whereas SOPs for international and domestic flights in GB are already in place and both should be enforced separately.”
Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid said the Pakistan Railways had carried around 285,000 passengers from Karachi during the implementation of lockdown in Sindh.