While announcing the launch of coronavirus relief fund, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday said that war against coronavirus will be won through proper strategy. He said there should be no haste in any decision regarding lockdown of whole country.
Prime Minister said the one nation that has emerged successful in its fight against COVID-19 is China. China had locked down two crore people in Wuhan to fight this virus.
“Perhaps we could also do that if we had an economy like China. Alas, we don’t,” he added.
“We are a country with 25% population living below poverty line. Then a number of people living right next to the poverty line, one blow, and they’ll be ousted into poverty. So, we are looking at the plight of at least 9-10 crore people.”
PM said our own neighbor country, India locked down entire country. Today Indian PM apologizes its people for locking down without proper planning. India is in a catch 22, if they lift lockdown, COVID-19 spreads, if they don’t people will die of hunger.
“The biggest question before us is that if we lockdown entire Pakistan today, can we even provide food to the most underprivileged people? If no, this lockdown will be a failure.”
The premier said that people are treating corona patients as somewhat criminals, which is wrong. He said coronavirus is mostly fatal for people with pre-existing medical conditions or the aged ones. Rest can recover if they just go into self-quarantine.
Speaking about coronavirus relief fund, PM Imran said: “This will be an account in National Bank of Pakistan, you can deposit money in this account starting day after tomorrow. For those who deposit money in this account and declare it in tax statements, will get tax exemptions based on it.”
“We are directing all NGOs and charities too so that all the charity does not accumulate in one region. But all the needy sections of society can benefit from it.”
“I remember when 2005 earthquake hit, and we were out working, I saw most NGOs distributed resources in one valley, the people of other valley were compelled to loot trucks. So, we’ve to make sure, things don’t accumulate in one region and other is left deprived.”
