K-P health minister, others booked for violating Covid SOPs

Action taken after pictures of Iftar gathering go viral on social media; eatery sealed

PESHAWAR:

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Health Minister Taimur Saleem Jhagra was booked on Tuesday for violating Covid-19 SOPs after pictures of him attending a large Iftar gathering in Peshawar went viral on social media.

Assistant Commissioner Matni, Peshawar asked the FIR to be registered against the minister, and the owner and manager of the restaurant for flouting Covid-19 SOPs, and ordered action against them.

The district administration also sealed the restaurant where the gathering had taken place. According to the manager, they had told the minister that serving food inside the restaurant was prohibited.

The administration further stated that as per the restaurant's manager the attendees brought food with them and organised the gathering.

The authority said it has communicated to the police about the action to be taken against the accused.

Read Mardan put under complete lockdown for a week

Making it clear that no one is above the law, the district administration said that indiscriminate action is being taken against any violation of conduct in the province.

Two days ago, on Sunday, the provincial government announced enforcing a complete lockdown in district Mardan for seven days.

He informed that the ratio of positive cases of Covid-19 in the district currently stood at over 40 per cent. The spokesperson appealed to the masses to follow precautionary measures.

The K-P government and the district administration and police have reportedly been unable to make people strictly observe the SOPs due to a lack of coordination and planning.

Around 80 percent people don’t wear masks while going to market places and even the police does not wear masks.