Workshop on Pakistan Covid response opened

Fundamental decisions were taken resulting in Covid response that was appreciated globally, says minister

FCDO-funded Sub-National Governance Programme, implemented by Oxford Policy Management, kicked off its two-day national learning workshop on “Pakistan's Covid response - Lessons for Improving Governance in Islamabad” on Wednesday.

Federal Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood chaired the opening session with acting British High Commissioner, Iona Thomas, and policy-makers, sector experts, practitioners, and others.

The minister commented that while responding to the pandemic, no government had any precedence, and Pakistan was no exception.

Fundamental decisions were taken resulting in Pakistan’s Covid response that was appreciated globally, the minister added. “We are able to keep our economy running and the poor protected though various economic stimulus programmes and social protection initiatives.”

Acting British High Commissioner Iona Thomas, while talking about Pakistan’s Covid response, said “Pakistan has been extremely successful in returning to near normalcy (Pakistan ranks second in the Economist Covid normalcy index, after Egypt). The fact that we are all here today, in person, is a proof of Pakistan’s success so far.”