Govt pursuing comprehensive roadmap to handle coronavirus challenge: Shibli

ISLAMABAD, May 16 (APP):Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Shibli Faraz on Saturday said the government was pursuing a comprehensive roadmap to handle the challenge of coronavirus pandemic.

Addressing a joint news conference along with Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Accountability Shehzad Akbar, he said despite the economic constraints, the government had announced a huge stimulus package of Rs 1.2 trillion to provide a cushion and support to every segment of the society affected by the contagion.

Under the package, he said, Rs 480 billion was allocated for the business community and exporters whereas Rs 570 billion was earmarked for providing relief to the comman man, including Rs 200 billion for daily wagers, Rs 150 billion for vulnerable families, Rs 70 billion for reduction in petroleum products’ prices, Rs 50 billion for ensuring availability of essential items at the Utility Stores and Rs 100 billion for relief in utility bills.

He said under the Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme, Rs 104 billion had so far been disbursed among the deserving families in the most transparent and efficient manner.

Senator Shibli Faraz said all the federating units had been taken along to cope with the situation arising out of the pandemic.

The minister said the supply of essential commodities, including petrol and diesel, was ensured in the lockdown situation. There was a difference of opinion among the provinces on the reopening of the public transport, but now a consensus had been developed on the matter to a great extent, Standard operating procedures had been devised for the transporters and the general public, and they would have to show responsibility, he added.

The labour class would be the main beneficiary of opening of the public transport as, otherwise, they would face difficulties in reaching their workplaces as the industries were also being opened, he noted.

Shibli Faraz said the Federal Government had provided personal protective equipment to hospitals in all the four provinces.

Stressing the need for national unity to tackle the challenge, the Information Minister regretted that the opposition parties did not give any positive suggestions in the National Assembly session convened on their insistence and instead used it for political point scoring.

He said the national resources were plundered in the past in a systematic manner. Opposition Leader Shehbaz Sharif, he said, did not come to National Assembly to protect himself from the coronavirus and assigned the task to his colleagues, who tried to discredit the government calling it “incompetent”.

Whether strengthening the national institutions, fighting the corruption, and taking care of the poor people and giving them relief were the government’s incompetencies, he questioned.

He reminded the opposition that the people of Pakistan had rejected the corrupt and inefficient rulers in the 2018 general election.

He said on the one hand, the country was facing the coronavirus pandemic and on the other, it was fighting the menace of corruption. The ‘viruses of corruption’ had misused and plundered the national wealth, which was reflected in properties like Evenfield apartments (London). The past rulers, including the Sharif family, had built their properties abroad and they would leave the country in case of any serious crisis.

Whenever they (past rulers) needed medical treatment they flew to the United Kingdom, whereas Imran Khan after falling from a 30-feet high platform preferred to get treatment from the hospital built by him in Pakistan, he added.

The minister said so far no vaccine was available for the coronavirus, but fortunately anti-dote for the virus of corruption was available in the shape of Prime Minister Imran Khan, who was committed to eradicate the menace from the country.