Punjab bureaucracy ready to work round the clock amid pandemic

Punjab govt affairs pertaining to containing coronavirus being managed efficiently, says chief secretary

LAHORE: In the wake of the growing COVID-19 threat, civil and police bureaucracies have been restricted to their offices and camp offices as health and safety protocols are put in place. The operational shift attributed to the pandemic has left officers with no choice but to use video links to issue directives to their sub-ordinates to the grass root level, which has hampered all departmental tasks.

As government suspends all schools, colleges and universities until April 5 amidst the global coronavirus outbreak, the enactment of section 144 too has affected daily programming. With national and provincial assemblies also called off; Punjab appears to be heading towards a province-wide lockdown unless situations improve.

Coordination and communication

In the meanwhile, Punjab Chief Secretary Major (retd) Azam Suleman Khan and Inspector General Police Dr Shoaib Dastagir have been trying to run government affairs as best possible in the current circumstances. According to sources close to the officers, the two have remained in constant contact with the provincial commissioner, deputy commissioner, regional police officer and district police officer in their respective offices and camp offices, via video link.

All recent updates and activities undertaken by the federal government pertaining to the pandemic are being disseminated on and division and district levels to the officers. While hotline talk between the officers is also being promoted and district officers can now get direct updates on the coronavirus from the provincial officers.

On the other hand, Professional Management Service (PMS) officers, an entity of the civil officers of Punjab have also announced of serving the masses by following the government’s policies and working round the clock.

President PMS Officers Association Tariq Mehmood Awan, announced that instead of fearing the disease, the people should rather raise public awareness as a national responsibility. “None of the PMS Officers working in divisional, district or tehsil headquarters across Punjab will remain shut in their homes out of fear of the virus and rather address the national crisis where and when needed,” Awan conveyed.

He further informed that all assistant commissioners, deputy commissioners and field officers of the provincial service deputed on various posts in Punjab will remain on duty and available round the clock. “Meanwhile, the government has also decided to seek the services of experts from six different sectors in a joint session of the provincial cabinet and high-administrative officers.”

Joint efforts in times of corona

Per sources, a joint session of high-administrative civil bureaucrats and provincial ministers was called upon to discuss strategies on tackling the spread of COVID-19 in the province. During which, several important decisions pertaining to inculcating awareness among the public were made, upon reviewing the overall conditions across Punjab

“We are faced with a severe threat and everyone is expected to play their role in these times of national crisis. It is advised that all attendees fully implement the advisory of all precautionary measures and supervise it till the very grassroots level,” ordained the Punjab Chief Secretary.

According to sources, parliamentarians of the provincial cabinet, in order to protect citizens from the disease, have declared that the advisory issued by the provincial government is to be implemented under all circumstances on the directives of the federal government.  On the other hand, the Punjab government has also approved the procurement of 300 screening kits and ventilators during the meeting led by the provincial chief secretary, which is expected to help sustain the healthcare system.

“The chief secretary, while addressing the attendees of the meeting, said that the provision of screening kits for the diagnosis of COVID-19 is a top priority, hence the procured screening kits and ventilators will be provided to hospitals across the province. He also urged hospital managements to remain vigilant and senior doctors to remain on duty to avoid any form of negligence in this sensitive time,” the source informed.

Business as usual for bureaucracy

The chief secretary said that despite the looming coronavirus threat, the officers are attending government meetings out of their offices and camp offices established within residential premises and are working round the clock in the wake of section 144, which is being fully implemented.

On the other side, Inspector General Punjab Police Dr Shoaib Dastagir informed The Express Tribune that police across province is on alert and on duty. “All RPs and DPOs including several sepoys have been committed to performing their duties and obedience of government orders and section 144 is being monitored in all police stations. The virus may have inconvenienced daily tasks, but Punjab police is committed to its duty and working diligently,” said Dastagir.

Meanwhile, the Punjab government has begun preparations for providing Rs 250 million in funds to each parliamentarian in the next fiscal year. As per sources, the government of Punjab has decided to issue funds to the parliamentarians in line with their desires and moreover, Rs 100 million will be released under Community Development Funds Project Phase II.

In the light of directives from the Chief Minister House, development schemes from the parliamentarians have been sought which after approval from the development board will be made part of the development program. “Government affairs and matters pertaining to containing coronavirus are being managed abreast and the bureaucracy remains uncompromised in the wake of the global pandemic,” asserted the Punjab CS.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 23^rd, 2020.