Asad calls for supporting govt in fight against COVID-19

ISLAMABAD, Apr 15 (APP):Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar on Wednesday asked all political parties and the nation to support the government in its efforts to contain the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in larger interest of the country.

“The government is working on the best option that is to leave no stone unturned in slowing down the spread of coronavirus on one hand, and on the other hand to help the daily wagers and small shopkeepers such as tailors, carpenters, plumbers, electricians and others by easing lockdown for them,” Asad Umar said in his daily televised media briefing after chairing the meeting of National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) here.

Special Assistant to Prime Minister on National Health Services Dr Zafar Mirza and SAPM on National Security Division Moeed Yusuf were also present in the briefing.

He said today the whole world was talking about maintaining balance between containing virus and managing employment for weak segment of the society.

Asad Umar said the people who were earning income on daily basis and when their income stopped due to lockdown, their difficulties and feelings could not be judged by a normal person who had never faced such situation.

“When a person’s saving for future planning such as education, daughter’s marriage, or diseases vanished due to no earning during lockdown then how they would manage these resources,” he questioned.

He said Prime Minister Imran Khan was much anxious about the daily wagers and other people belonging to poor segments of the society, therefore he decided to open selective sectors.

He said the government was facing a difficult situation, and was trying its best to present all the facts before the nation with honesty.
“There are two different points of view among the people about the lockdown that is to end it or to impose it strictly.”

The minister pointed out that some people were of the view that there was emergency like situation in the country and to some extent they were right in their opinion.

“But we have to decide by looking at ground realities and Pakistan’s ground reality is far different from that of the European and other developed states,” he added.

He said the government’s top priority was to draw all stakeholders, and the nation on same direction with respect to decision about coronavirus.

Umar said about basic things like opening of big industries should be same, across the country, however flexibility should be allowed on small decisions and district administration should be given permission to decide on their own by keeping their ground realities in view.

He said the ground realities of different districts could be different.

With respect to the ongoing Ehsaas Emergency Programme, the minister informed that till April 14, the government had disbursed Rs 35 billion among 2.861 million families.