–Minister says infections will keep on rising in June, but things will remain under control
–Aviation minister says 7,000 Pakistani nationals to be repatriated before Eid
–PML-N’s Iqbal urges govt to revive local govts in Punjab to effectively contain infections
ISLAMABAD: Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar on Friday claimed the healthcare system will survive the onslaught of soaring coronavirus cases, citing data that the contagion, despite its upward trend, will not cripple the healthcare facilities.
Speaking during the ongoing special National Assembly session on Covid-19, Umar feared that the infections and deaths would continue to increase in May and June. “Pakistan is conducting 13,500 tests every day and the number would be further raised,” he said. It may be noted here that the government claimed to reach 25,000 testing capacity by this month.
He said about 1,000 more ventilators would be provided to the hospitals, and 100,000 doctors and medics would be trained in the use of personal protection equipment.
Speaking about the lockdown, the minister said it was not possible to stop the spread of coronavirus with lockdowns. “The countries that imposed lockdown saw a resurgence of cases after they eased the restrictions. We have to live with the virus,” he added.
He claimed in some cases those countries, which adopted strict lockdown, had a higher death rate than those which had a targetted lockdown. The coronavirus won’t go away without a vaccine, he added.
He said other countries had reached the same conclusion as Prime Minister Imran Khan’s that the lockdown would increase poverty, hunger, unemployment and economic deprivation. When the prime minister took a policy decision against the lockdown he faced a lot of criticism, he said, adding that the opposition parties also had divergent views on the issue of the lockdown.
During the ongoing pandemic as some of their leaders wanted strict lockdown while the others wanted it to be eased, he claimed. With the help of technology, a system was in place to trace and quarantine patients, and use targetted lockdown of hotspots and in that way the virus was contained at 500 places, he told the lawmakers.
Speaking about the impacts of a lull in business activities, the minister said according to the research of Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE), the income of 10 million to 10.8 million Pakistanis vanished or substantially reduced due to the coronavirus.
He said the government would have to create a balance to protect the livelihoods of the people and also save their lives from the coronavirus outbreak. He quoted the example of the United States in which “40 states decided to ease the lockdown at a time when two to three thousand people were dying in the country every day”.
About the measures taken by the government to lessen the fallout, he said Rs 144 billion would be distributed among the poorest of the poor under the Ehsaas programme to help them in coping with the coronavirus outbreak.
“Rs 100 billion was already distributed among eight million families as part of the biggest economic relief package announced by the government,” he added.
“Rs 50 billion was allocated to give relief in electricity bills to 3.5 million small businesses and under the PM’s Corona Relief Programme, the government would give relief to those who had lost their jobs due to restrictions on businesses during the lockdown,” he added.
Relief packages of Rs 50 billion each were announced for the agriculture and health sectors, he said and added that the government’s relief initiatives directly or indirectly would benefit 80 per cent of the population.
‘7,000 CITIZENS TO BE REPATRIATED IN RAMZAN’:
Minister for Aviation Division Ghulam Sarwar Khan informed the House that 7,000 stranded Pakistanis, including students, workers, members of Tableeghi Jamaat, and pilgrims, will be brought back home before Eid.
He said Pakistani prisoners from Oman and the United Arab Emirates were brought back free of cost. He said Aviation Division operated 181 inbound flights and took over 25,000 passengers to their destinations in 27 countries.
He said around 250 students from Wuhan and China will be repatriated through the special flight on Monday.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Ahsan Iqbal said the government should charter planes to repatriate stranded Pakistanis from various countries.
Iqbal also proposed that local governments in Punjab should immediately be restored and the federal government should declare education emergency, reduce petroleum, electricity, and gas prices to provide relief to the common people in wake of COVID-19.
In his remarks, Adviser on Parliamentary Affairs Dr. Babar Awan said no bill or draft to amend the 18th Amendment is under consideration. He said several amendments were made in the constitution in the past– a lawful procedure. He, however, said no amendments contrary to divine laws can be made. The Adviser said the government will welcome reasonable suggestions from the Opposition to amend NAB law.
He also assured the House that recommendations of the National Assembly will be sent to relevant quarters. He said a special session before the budget session of the House will be convened to finalise recommendations of parliament to combat corona. The adviser said the government undertook an intensive consultation process over the issue of Covid-19.
