Sindh govt prepared for food shortage amid coronavirus, says Nasir Shah

However, information minister stresses there is no indication of such a crisis

KARACHI: Stressing that the Sindh government was in complete control of the situation, Sindh Information Minister Nasir Hussain Shah disclosed that the provincial government had given directives to ensure the availability of essential food items in case of a shortage due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Speaking to the media after a meeting led by the Sindh chief minister on Saturday, he reassured the public that there was no need to panic. He maintained that although funds had been set aside to deal with a food shortage, the current situation did not demand any urgency in this regard.

Shah said that the meeting had discussed and endorsed the decisions taken by the federal government to control the spread of the coronavirus as well, adding that the Centre's health advisory would be followed in letter and spirit while the Sindh government had also issued its own advisory.



However, he asserted that the meeting led by Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday should have been convened much earlier, pointing out that an earlier decision would have meant that the health advisory could have been extended or amended depending on how the situation unfolded.

Responding to a question, Shah stated that the Pakistan Peoples Party had planned to hold a public gathering, with an address by party chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, but it had been cancelled to avoid a widespread coronavirus outbreak. He added that this was done keeping the health and safety of the people in mind.

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