COVID19 SOPs: Interior ministry authorizes deployment of army
News Desk :Â
The Federal Interior Ministry has issued a notification allowing the provinces and the federal governments to seek the support of armed forces in the implementation of the COVID19 standard operating procedures (SOPs).
In a video message on Sunday, Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid said according to the notification, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Kashmir, and Islamabad will avail the services of the Pakistan Army for implementation of Covid-19 SOPs “as per their need”. He said Sindh had not opted to be part of the measure for now.
He added that this was a “big decision” taken because neighboring India was reporting 350,000 or more Covid cases on a daily basis.
The minister said the Pakistan Army had always stood with the people when floods, earthquakes, and other natural disasters hit the country, therefore, it was decided during a meeting of the National Coordination Committee (NCC) to seek the army’s services to enforce the coronavirus SOPs.
Orders issued by the Ministry of Interior, seen by Quetta Voice notified the deployment of the armed forces, citing the decision taken during the NCC meeting on April 23.
“The federal government, in the exercise of the powers conferred under Article 245 of the Constitution […], is pleased to authorize the deployment of sufficient strength of troops of Pakistan Army, we. f. 25th April 2021, on the requisition of the Government of Punjab in the province in connection with the enforcement of NCC/NCOC guidelines on Covid-19 and matters ancillary thereto subject to laws enforced in Pakistan,” one of the orders said.
COVID19 SOPs: Interior ministry authorizes deployment of army
