Country cannot afford total lockdown, says PM

ISLAMABAD:

Prime Minister Imran Khan has reiterated that the country cannot afford a complete lockdown and that businesses will continue to operate on a limited scale during the raging third wave of the coronavirus pandemic.

The prime minister – who was tested positive for the contagious disease last week – was chairing a meeting of the National Coordination Committee (NCC) on Covid-19 via video link from his Bani Gala residence.

At the meeting in which chief ministers of all the four provinces also took part though video conference, Prime Minister Imran directed the relevant authorities to strictly implement coronavirus related standard operating procedures (SOPs), while also running a campaign encouraging use of masks.

“The authorities must swing into action for ensuring implementation on the SOPs. The third wave of the pandemic is very dangerous and there is a need to take safety measures.

“However, the country cannot afford a total lockdown and therefore businesses will continue to operate at a limited scale. We successfully fought the pandemic’s first wave by adopting a better strategy. It is the need of the hour to once again show a responsible behaviour,” sources quoted the PM as saying.

The participants were briefed about procuring the Covid-19 vaccines and the ongoing process of administering these vaccines to different categories of people. The premier asked the relevant authorities to ensure transparency and merit in the vaccination process.

The participants also reviewed the proposal to reduce the inter-provincial traffic. The meeting also endorsed the decision to impose an immediate ban on indoor and outdoor functions in cities and areas with more than 8% positivity rate.

The prime minister, expressing his concern over negligence regarding the implementation of Covid standard operating procedures (SOPs), called for initiating a robust public awareness campaign to ensure the implementation of corona SOPs.

He said the most effective strategy to deal with the third wave of coronavirus was to check the factors behind fast spread of the contagion and using face masks.

The prime minister on the occasion also appealed the masses to ensure the implementation of corona SOPs.

The meeting was briefed in detail about the current situation of COVID-19 pandemic in the country, percentage of positive cases, availability of corona vaccine and its supply to masses as well as the measures being taken to ensure the ample availability of vaccine to people in near future.

The prime minister, who was also briefed about the situation in region after the outbreak of third wave of Covid pandemic, said the worldwide experience showed that the use of face masks had been most effective in checking the spread of the virus.

He said the strategy to deal with the third wave of coronavirus and to check its spread would have to be formulated while keeping in view the country's economic situation, especially the difficulties of masses.

The prime minister said as it were the poor who were affected most by the pandemic the center of government's whole strategy was to provide relief to poor masses and to protect them from the negative effects of Covid.

He said the government had to adopt a balanced policy so as to check the pandemic at one hand and protect the people and economy from its effects on the other.

The prime minister said the previous wave of Covid had rendered just 20 million people in Pakistan jobless. The poor segments were provided effective relief through the Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme, he added.

The provincial chief ministers and officials apprised the prime minister of the Covid situation in their respective provinces.

The prime minister directed all the provincial governments not only to mobilize the public about implementation of corona SOPs but also ensure the effective role of district administration in that respect.

Separately, the prime minister said introduction of electronic voting machine was critical to ensuring a transparent, safe and impartial voting process in the country.

He said on the basis of past experiences, the introduction of such device was imperative for the national and democratic interests of the country and reiterated government's resolve in that regard.

The prime minister was given a briefing on the functioning of electronic voting machine. The detailed briefing was given by Minister for Science and Technology Chaudhry Fawad Hussain over the electronic voting machine, a joint product of COMSATS and National Institute of Electronics (NIE), its working and key features, Prime Minister Office Media Wing said in a statement.

Addressing the meeting, the prime minister said unfortunately, in the past, different questions had been raised on holding of elections which not only stymied the electoral and democratic process, but also hurt the public confidence.

The democratic and election process, he stressed, could no longer afford such process over which apprehensions were raised, shaking public trust.

The prime minister directed that efforts should be expedited for equipping the electronic machine with latest security features by keeping in view experiences of the developed countries.

The prime minister was apprised that with the help of relevant machine, the whole voting process would be made transparent and impartial besides, the election results would be obtained quickly and fully secured.

Complete resolution of all voting issues which were raised in the past had been ensured through this electronic gadget, it was further added.

On the occasion, the prime minister was also presented with practical demonstration of the voting process through the electronic voting machine.

It was further apprised that the machine which was a joint venture of ministry of science and technology, COMSATS and NIE had also been tested on limited basis which produced very encouraging results.

The prime minister expressed his satisfaction over the functioning of the machine and appreciated efforts made by the ministry of science and COMSATS.

With additional input from APP