Pakistan's Covid-19 strategy 'good example' for world: UNGA president-elect

United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) President-elect Volkan Bozkir has termed the Pakistan’s strategy against Covid-19 a “good example” for the world to follow.

Addressing a news conference on Monday alongside Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Bozkir expressed his condolences over the deaths of Pakistanis from the novel coronavirus and wished those who are currently infected a swift recovery.

"Pakistan has been a good example for the world with its pandemic-related policies. The figures show that Pakistan has done better than other countries in the world and I am happy to observe it with my own eyes,” said the president-elect who arrived in Islamabad earlier in the day on a two-day official visit.

Pakistan coronavirus recovery rate on Sunday surpassed 91% with official data showing that 260,248 patients have recovered from the disease so far against the total number of 284,121 cases confirmed since the outbreak.

The federal government has decided to allow the reopening of restaurants, cinemas, beauty parlours, gyms and other businesses from Monday – almost five months after they were closed to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic -- in the wake of the decline in Covid-19 cases and fatalities.

The world is widely acknowledging Prime Minister Imran Khan’s smart lockdown strategy, mainly focusing balance between lives and livelihood, as the country has witnessed a steep decline in the virus cases.

In a study, the Imperial College of London has ranked Pakistan at fourth for coronavirus reproduction in the country based on July 20 data. Pakistan has achieved 0.73 rate, keeping in view the countries getting below 1 rating are considered the best for their anti-Covid efforts.

Kashmir dispute

Expressing his strong support for the longstanding dispute of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), Bozkir linked it with peace and stability of the South Asian region.

“The Jammu and Kashmir dispute needs to be settled through peaceful means,” the visiting UNGA dignitary said.

The “meaningful engagement of political and diplomatic channels” is significant to resolve the issue in accordance with the resolutions of UN Security Council, he added.

Bozkir, the first Turkish national to hold this position for 75th UNGA session, said Turkey’s position on Jammu and Kashmir is well-known and its foreign ministry had issued a strong statement over India’s action of August 5, 2019.

Speaking on the occasion, FM Qureshi said that during his meeting with the UNGA president-elect, he briefed him about the evolving situation of IIOJK facing military siege for the last one year, human rights violations, and illegal search and cordon operations.