QUETTA: Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and his Balochistan counterpart Jam Kamal Khan Alyani on Friday decided to adopt a joint strategy for exchanging information about cooperation, prevention, safety and precautionary measures against coronavirus.

In a meeting, they discussed coronavirus safety measures taken by the two province, including screening of pilgrims coming from Iran.

They termed coronavirus a national issue and agreed to work jointly to fight its impact. They informed each other about precautionary measures taken by their respective governments to stop spread of the virus to other parts of the country.

Talking to the Sindh chief minister, the Balochistan chief minister said that pilgrims and other people returning from Iran would remain confined to isolation wards for 14 days at the Pak-Iran border town of Taftan.

“Pilgrims coming from Iran are being kept for 14 days at the Pakistan House at the Pak-Iran border town of Taftan as a precautionary measure to stop the virus from spreading to other parts of the country. All required facilities for pilgrims’ screening and medical tests have been provided there besides all basic amenities to facilitate pilgrims and other people,” Mr Alyani said.

Both the chief ministers decided to jointly work for the safe and timely return of all pilgrims and businessmen of Sindh coming from Iran via the Taftan border.

Mr Shah informed Mr Alyani that recently over 2,300 pilgrims and other people had returned from Iran and China and authorities concerned had contacted all of them and their screening and other related tests had been carried out.

“A newly-constructed 140-bed hospital of Karachi has been converted into quarantine facility meant only for Coronavirus-related patients,” the Sindh chief minister informed his Balochistan counterpart.

Published in Dawn, March 7th, 2020