PPP snubs govt over Covid-19 situation

Asks why lockdown was being lifted when virus cases were increasing

ISLAMABAD: After PML-N, the PPP has launched a tirade against the PTI saying the government lacked strategy to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The National Assembly (NA) session was called to discuss and formulate a joint strategy on coronavirus but the premier did not come to the House, while Bilawal Bhutto participated in the session and gave best recommendations [on Covid-19],” PPP leader Nafisa Shah said.

Nafisa made these remarks while addressing a press conference along with PPP leaders Rubina Khalid and Palwasha Behram in the federal capital on Sunday.

She said PTI was airing advertisements on television to fight and not to be scared of the coronavirus but after attending the NA session it was revealed that the government was “afraid” of the contagion and was not combating it.

Expressing her concern, she noted that lifting the lockdown at a time when more than 850 people have died and 40,000 been affected from the virus was worrisome.

Nafisa criticised the premier’s stance that people should learn to live with the coronavirus and observed that these sorts of statements reflected the government’s vision.



She remarked that NFC award was given under Article 161 and 162 and claimed that the notification issued by the premier in this regard was “illegal” and demanded that it be withdrawn.

She alleged that instead of giving employment, the premier deprived 18 million of their jobs.

Speaking on the occasion, Palwasha maintained that the government had failed and added that it had no policy to tackle the Covid-19.

“The government wants to lift the lockdown but the coronavirus is spreading. People cannot fight with this pandemic on their own,” she observed.

“The government has a policy of ‘do nothing’ on Covid-19,” she added.

The PPP leader stressed that parliament should have been playing an active role in this hour of difficulty.

“Our purpose was to assemble the lawmakers on one platform and give the message of unity to the nation,” she said.

“The government members who came [to attend NA session] apprised us of a disappointing policy on coronavirus,” she added.

“It was clear after the National Assembly session that the government wanted to hide behind the Covid-19 instead of fighting it.”

She questioned why the government was lifting the lockdown when the coronavirus cases were increasing every day.

PPP leader Rubina Khalid demanded that the NFC award should be in “accordance with the constitution”.