K-P exempts vendors, tandoors from 4pm ban

CM Mahmood Khan’s aide says decision taken to facilitate public

PESHAWAR: The provincial government on Monday exempted pushcart vendors and bread ovens (tandoors) from the 4pm ban on businesses in the province.

The decision has been taken to facilitate the public during Ramazan.

This was stated by Adviser to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) chief minister on Information and Public Relations Ajmal Wazir on Monday during his daily news briefing at the Civil Secretariat.

Explaining the decision, he said that it has been taken “for the protection and benefit of the public”.

Wazir said that at least 71 new cases of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) were reported in the province during the past 24 hours, taking the total number of Covid-19 patients to 1,864 in the province.

At least five fatalities due to the virus were also recorded in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of deaths in the province from Covid-19 to 98, the adviser explained.

In the meantime, the adviser said that as many as 30 coronavirus patients made a full recovery from the virus.

Elaborating on the provincial government's measures to curb the coronavirus, the information adviser said that protective equipment has been dispatched to the medical staff at 49 hospitals across the province. He assured that the government was providing all necessary equipment to medical staff on a priority basis.

Appreciating the services of doctors and other medical personnel in the current situation, Wazir said that doctors and other medical personnel were the nation’s heroes and their safety was the top priority for the government.

Regarding the Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme in the merged districts, the adviser said that cash grants are now being provided to the deserving people in the North and South Waziristan districts.

On the ulema’s role in the fight against the pandemic, Wazir said that ulema is on the same page as the government and that they have been observing precautionary measures at mosques and madrassas during Ramazan, particularly during the Taraweeh prayers.

The information adviser urged the public to support the government’s efforts against the pandemic by staying at home and following precautionary measures in public dealings as prescribed by the government. 

Published in The Express Tribune, April 28^th, 2020.