Imran's Tiger Force to get identity cards, jackets

Special desks to be set up for coordination with administration

LAHORE: The provincial government has decided to allot volunteers of Tiger Force special identity cards and jackets to ensure that their services are visible to the public.

A meeting to formulate a strategy to get the optimum benefit from the services of the Tiger Force was held at the Chief Secretary’s Camp Office on Wednesday. Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for Youth Affairs Usman Dar, Chief Secretary Punjab Jawwad Rafique Malik, and officers concerned attended the meeting whereas Foreign Minister ShahMehmood Qureshi, divisional commissioners, and deputy commissioners participated through video link.

The meeting deliberated on various proposals regarding the Tiger Force and it was decided that special jackets or identity cards would be provided to the volunteers for their identification.

Asking the Sialkot administration to prepare a test run model in this regard, Usman Dar said that after approval, the model would be replicated in other cities across the country.

The meeting also decided to set up a special desk in districts for better coordination between the Tiger Force and the administration to identify problems and ensure their timely solution. The meeting also decided on the responsibilities of the Tiger Force in measures to deal with possible floods, price control, plantation campaign, implementation of SOPs for prevention of coronavirus, duties in field hospitals, utility stores, and during the lockdown.

Meanwhile in the provincial capital, people living in hotspots of coronavirus struggled to understand the dos and don’ts of smart lockdown.

Omer Yaqoob, a resident of B-block Canal View, whose areas was under smart lockdown, said his area since midnight was sealed off by barbed wires. He said people were allowed to walk out of the cordoned-off area to buy groceries. He said they were not allowed to take their vehicles in or out.

However, in Cantonment area parameters for lockdown seemed to be a bit different than other parts of the city.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 18^th, 2020.