President credits smart lockdown strategy for economic growth
President Dr Arif Alvi on Friday said that the government’s policy of smart lockdowns against the spread of Covid-19 played a major role in the country’s economic survival and realisation of around four per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth despite various challenges.
“Improvement in all micro and macro-economic indicators endorsed the numbers of GDP growth, which were disputed by some political forces”, he added.
The president was addressing the inaugural session of a three-day International Conference of Pakistan Society of Internal Medicine (PSIM) on the theme of “Evidence-Based Medicine”.
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Dilating upon the government’s successful strategy to deal with the challenge of Covid-19, Dr Alvi said that Prime Minister Imran Khan, by opposing a complete lockdown, adopted the policy of compassion to protect the poor and low-income groups from the economic effects of the pandemic.
He added that the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) adopted an evidence-based policy of smart lockdowns with the help of the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA).
The president said that despite criticism from various segments of society, the mosques in Pakistan remained open by ensuring the implementation of standard operating procedures (SOPs).
Published in The Express Tribune, July 31st, 2021.