HARIPUR: The Haripur city police have stopped people dealing in mobile phones and accessories from opening their outlets in violation of a notification issued by the Hazara commissioner.

Deputy commissioner Nadeem Nasir during a press conference had also confirmed that mobile shops were exempted from the lockdown and they could resume their businesses.

Afterwards the mobile dealers in the city opened their shops on Thursday afternoon.

However, through a social media message, SHO city Haroon Khan warned the owners of such shops of legal action if they tried to resume their businesses, forcing the traders to pull down the shutters on Friday.

An official of the city police station confirmed the news that the SHO had stopped the mobile shop owners from opening their outlets as different trade bodies had raised objection to the shops’ opening, and threatened to open their businesses.

He said SHO’s decision was aimed at ensuring a peaceful environment in the city.

It merits a mention here that the divisional commissioner had through a notification dated March 25 issued to all the deputy commissioners and district food controllers, declared as essential commodities 11 businesses, including medical stores, butchers, grocery, mechanics and mobile shops, thus exempting them from the lockdown.

PHARMACISTS ROLE HIGHLIGHTED: The provincial government has been asked to utilise the expertise of qualified pharmacists in the fight against coronavirus.

Dr Inamullah, general secretary Young Pharmacists Community, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, told mediapersons on Saturday that the government was already facing shortage of healthcare facilities and professionals.

“The coronavirus outbreak and shortage of professionally trained care-providers have thrown new challenge to the policymakers and the government,” he said, adding the provincial health authorities should devise a plan to utilise the expertise of pharmacists and trained care-providers to combat the pandemic.

He said a sustained policy for meeting the existing and future health challenges was needed. He said pharmacists being medicine experts had the capacity to extend vital support to other healthcare professionals in the prevailing situation.

“The situation calls for utilising the skills of thousands of pharmacists that will ultimately augment the efforts against the pandemic,” he said, adding there were 6,500 registered A-category pharmacists available to offer their services to the government.

Published in Dawn, April 5th, 2020