PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan has directed the concerned authorities to conduct COVID-19 tests in all the districts where processions and gatherings with regard to Muharram-ul-Haram were carried out.

He issued these directives while presiding over a meeting of Provincial Task Force on COVID-19 in Peshawar.

The meeting was told that there had been a significant decline in corona cases across the province whereas the recovery ratio of corona patients was also above ninety percent.

More than thirty-four thousand corona patients have been recovered so far across the province while only twenty patients are under treatment in the hospitals.

The Chief Minister expressed satisfaction over the implementation status of SOPs at tourist sites as well as in the Muharram processions.

The meeting also reviewed preparations regarding reopening of educational institutes in the province and decided that the final decision to this effect would be taken in consultation with the National Command and Operation Center.

Meanwhile, talking to newsmen during his visit to Swat, Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan said the government is actively working for providing relief to the flood affected people in the province.     

He said he is personally monitoring the relief activities to ensure provision of all-out support to the affectees.

Mahmood Khan said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf is the only political party which came to power in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa twice because of its service delivery and keeping of promises.

He urged the opponents to refrain from making the natural calamity a political issue.

The Chief Minister said the government is also working on permanent settlement of the affectees. He added that he will personally visit all the flood-hit areas to review the damages.