With the tally of Corona patients in the country exceeding 2000, in an effort to curb this pandemic, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Chairman Lt-Gen Muhammad Afzal recently said that the Chinese government was launching a new technology in Pakistan to ttest a large number of people in the country.
It was recently reported that a “walk through technology” is being launched in Pakistan to test a large number of suspected people for the coronavirus. According to Chairman Afzal, “Walk through machine is very huge and it will arrive at Khunjerab Pass by next week”. The federal ministers spoke at a joint press conference in Islamabad. The NDMA chief also said that the machine would enable the authorities to screen people in large number as testing every individual is not a feassible position. They plan to test people in different cities through this machine. He stated that: “5,0000 diagnostic kits will be arriving in Pakistan by tomorrow [Friday]… These equipment will be distributed in all provinces as per their requirement.”
Lt-Gen Afzal said that the areas where the number of coronavirus cases are high will be disinfected on the priority basis. Federal Minister for Planning Asad Umar said that initiatives such as these are related to the teams of volunteers which the prime minister had said would be formed to distribute food items to deserving people if the lockdown was imposed. Asad Umar went on to say that with consultation of all provinces, educational institutions across the country will remain shut till May 31. Moreover, he assured that there is no shortage of wheat in the country and that all political parties and provinces are working jointly to resolve the crisis.
Finally, the Minister for Religious Affairs Noorul Haq Qadri, stated that the government has decided with the consultation of religious clerics that mosques across the country will not be closed. Elders and young kids are advised that: “Congregational prayers will be limited allowing only those associated with the mosque, those who are healthy will be allowed. Minors and elderly won’t be allowed.” Finally, Sindh government imposed a ban on five-time congregational prayer, including Friday prayer, effective from tomorrow (March 27) till April 5.