NCOC to hold first provincial meeting in Lahore today

LAHORE: A special meeting of National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) is being held in Lahore on Monday to discuss the Standard Operating Procedure (SOPs) and management of cattle markets on Eid-ul-Azha.

Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar will preside over the meeting. This will be the first time the national body overseeing the coronavirus situation will be holding a meeting on a provincial level.

The meetings at provincial capitals are aimed at creating national unity against coronavirus, better understanding and cooperation among provinces. The body plans to hold similar meetings in other provincial capitals as well.

The meeting will review the steps taken by the respective provinces to combat COVID-19 and ensure uniformity in the country’s response to the disease.

Provincial chief secretary will brief the meeting about the measures taken to ensure the implementation of SOPs and management of cattle markets. The meeting will also discuss the smart lockdown, hotspot areas as well as contact tracing strategy and testing in Punjab.

Interior minister Ijaz Shah will also preside over the discussion regarding Eid-ul-Azha, cattle markets and Muharram in the province.

The meeting will be attended by the NCOC’s core team including national coordinator Lt Gen Hamood-uz-Zaman, Interior Minister Brigadier (retd) Ijaz Shah, Dr Faisal Sultan, Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, Punjab law and health ministers, Punjab chief secretary and Inspector-General Police.

Provincial chief secretaries and other officials of Punjab’s provincial departments will attend via video link.

Earlier this week, federal minister Asad Umar had said that SOPs for Eid-ul-Azha had been formulated. The minister chaired an NCOC meeting on cattle market management, availability of medicines and the coronavirus situation.

The NCOC suggested setting up cattle markets outside cities, compulsory testing of animal handlers, market timings from morning to evening and engaging religious scholars for the implementation of SOPs.

Speaking on the occasion, the minister ordered that an effective monitoring mechanism must be formed to ensure social distancing and the adherence to the SOPs at cattle markets. The panel was informed that guidelines have been prepared and shared with all provinces for Eid.