Awan urges Shehbaz to bring back 'foreign assets' to help Pakistan combat coronavirus

Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Firdous Ashiq Awan on Wednesday said the Leader of the Opposition in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif should bring back his foreign assets to help Pakistan combat the coronavirus.

“Shehbaz should bring back his foreign assets to the country as it will help us in tackling coronavirus,” she said, adding that this was a golden opportunity for the PML-N stalwart.

Slamming Shehbaz for a speech he had given against the government earlier, she said: "He delivered a speech in which he a gave a delusional roadmap and also criticised the government for its shortcomings in the battle against the coronavirus."

“I want him to know that 10 years is an ideal amount of time for any chief minister for improving and introducing new technology to the health sector,” she said, lamenting that Shehbaz had not done enough.

“This isn’t the time for doing politics and we need to be focused so that we can spread awareness among the masses regarding coronavirus and curb its spread,” she urged.

“I got to know that Shehbaz Sharif and Bilawal Bhutto walked out of the recent parliamentary leaders meeting,” she said, adding: “I urge them that this is not the time to think selfishly and that they should help the government in tackling the current challenges.”

“The opposition should criticise the government but propose measures to combat the pandemic as well,” she added.

Pakistan has been facing a rise in coronavirus cases, as the country's tally shot past 1,000 on Wednesday.

However, Sindh — where the provincial government is taking stern steps to curb the spread of COVID-19 — remains the worst affected with over 400 confirmed cases.

There have been eight deaths so far from coronavirus in the country, with the latest reported today in Punjab.