ISLAMABAD, Sep 8 (APP): National Assembly Deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri on Wednesday said that the entire world had praised Pakistan’s strategy to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic. Speaking in a panel discussion on “Mitigating the Impact of COVID-19 on Democracy” in 5th Speakers conference organized Jointly by IPU and UNO in Vienna, he said that the COVID-19 pandemic was not only a health and economic emergency but also a crisis for democracy, human rights, and governance that could undermine or collapse fragile democracies.
He said that Pakistan was seriously concerned on COVID-19 related negative propaganda, stereotyping and discrimination against minorities in some regions and countries around the world.
The spread of disinformation also posed a serious threat to democracy and one of its prime consequences was rising Islamophobia, he added.
The deputy speaker praised the role of the judiciary and media in Pakistan towards strengthening constitutional guarantees and promoting democratic values.
Terming the Pakistan Citizens Portal mobile application as a best practice for rapid and effective redressal of genuine public grievances , he said that resolving public issues through digitalization was vital for effective governance.
He further elaborated that in order to comply with its international obligations, Pakistan was formulating the second phase of the National Action Plan on Human Rights for protection of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of all segments of the society.
He emphasized that in order to mitigate the long-term impact of COVID-19 pandemic on democracy, there was a need for comprehensive information collections and vibrant policy formulation through the use of modern technology for filling the gaps and providing new avenues during the pandemic.
