–Bilawal says Centre has let provinces down, asks PM Imran not to undermine provincial efforts if his govt can’t help them
–Says lockdown was imposed after NCOC meeting, questions PM’s ‘elites’ remarks
–Dedicates Labour Day to health workers, demands govt to provide them PPEs
KARACHI: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Friday lashed out at the federal government for its repeated attempts to “sabotage efforts of creating a united front against coronavirus” and unwarranted criticism of the Sindh government.
In a press conference, the PPP chief said Prime Minister Imran Khan had disappointed the entire nation during this pandemic, which had exposed the incompetence of the federal government.
“Prime minister and his spokespersons are attacking Sindh and its people day and night,” said Bilawal. “He undermines the efforts of the healthcare workers, doctors and law enforcement personnel, who are fighting the virus on the front line.
“He questions the work of Sindh’s ministers and subjects them to character assassinations.”
He said if the PM could not support the Sindh government then the least he could do was to not undermine its directives to people about staying at home.
The PPP co-chairperson further stated that the Sindh government was treating coronavirus patients with its own resources, as the Centre did not provide any help whatsoever.
“The Centre has disappointed every province,” the PPP chairman said. “They did not provide adequate facilities to the government of Balochistan at Taftan border, neither advised the Punjab government to take precautionary measures during the Raiwind gathering.”
He added that if Imran Khan wants to remain the prime minister of only Islamabad, then fighting this pandemic would be very difficult. “God forbid, Karachi would suffer the same fate as New York.”
“They also let down the Punjab government by not warning them about the Raiwind Ijtima. They did not take any practical steps to protect those who participated and later did not support the provinces in tracing the participants,” he lashed out. “The federal government caused harm to all the provinces by not playing its proper role in the Raiwind Ijtima.”
Referring to the premier’s speech a day earlier in which he said that an “elite” imposed the lockdown after they realised the virus affected the rich as well, Bilawal questioned who those “elites” were.
“The decision to extend the lockdown was taken in a meeting at the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC). It was based on recommendations by Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the announcement was made by a federal minister. Who then are these elites the prime minister talks about?” he questioned.
MAY 1 DEDICATED TO DOCTORS:
Bilawal dedicated Labour Day, being observed on May 1, to those frontline workers who lost their lives in the fight against the coronavirus. He grilled the government for its “failure to fulfill basic demands of the doctors fighting coronavirus on the frontlines”. “Can you imagine Pakistan declaring war and sending its army without guns, bullets, and a uniform,” he asked.
The PPP chairman lamented that the doctors were only demanding two things — protective gear and a reduced burden on hospitals so that they may carry out their jobs more effectively.
“The prime minister has failed to deliver […] He mentioned daily wagers in all of his addresses, but sadly none of them has received a single dime yet,” he regretted.
It is our responsibility to provide for them as we would provide for our armed forces, he said, adding: “We are trying to provide for our doctors who are in contact with COVID-19 patients, I know that all provincial governments are playing their due role as well.”
“But the Centre should also play its role in supporting the provinces in the war against coronavirus,” he noted.
“These are pressing times, but 74% of our labour force which comprises daily wagers are affected the most during these times,” he said. “In collaboration with the BISP, the Centre disbursed cash to the already registered beneficiaries but the daily wagers did not receive anything.”
The PPP chairman went on to say that the federal government had announced Rs2 billion for daily wagers after which it was revised to Rs70 billion, but none had received a single rupee. “During a national crisis, we cannot afford a delay [in such matters]. The Centre will have to take responsibility.”
He said 400 doctors have been diagnosed with the disease, while nine have died. “I pay my respects to them,” he said, adding: “We also pay our respects to the daily wagers who have lost their livelihood due to the lockdown.
