COVID-19: Malik urges PM to take provinces into confidence

ISLAMABAD: Chairman Senate’s Committee on Interior Senator Abdul Rehman Malik asked Prime Minister Imran Khan to take all the provinces in the fight against coronavirus.

“It was disappointment to watch that for the last one week what was going on as it did not seems its not fight against coronavirus but political corona and if this political coronavirus continue then how could you save the vulnerable people from coronavirus,” he said while speaking at his book launching “Coronavirus- Threat To National Security” here Saturday by former prime minister Raja Pervez Ashraf.

Due to the situation because of coronavirus when social distancing and isolation are being observed to control this deadly pandemic, the book was launched in a simple but highly impressive ceremony through video. The ceremony was also attended by renowned journalists. The ceremony was commenced with recitation from holy Quran and national anthem.

Senator A Rehman Malik in his opening remarks said that the Novel COVID-19 has brought miseries and confusions within the states as the world has been cut up with this sudden shocking surprise.

He said that in the beginning, the world took it lightly and treated it like a normal virus and it is also heartening that the experts and the concerned international authorities had not warned it’s multiplying growth in the world. He said that soon after the confirmation of first two cases in Pakistan, he called an emergency meeting of Senate Standing Committee on Interior on February 27th, 2020 and suggested a comprehensive National Action Plan on Coronavirus containing 37 actions and measures to be taken on war footing to block the potential spread of the coronavirus in Pakistan.

He expressed that he wishes the government had implemented those 37 point in letter and spirit.

He said that things have got better since the National Coordination Center is established and have taken over the control to combat coronavirus. He said that all operations are being managed with visible improvement. He urged the nation to follow all the measures to check further spread of coronavirus.

Senator Rehman Malik further said that the weight of a virus is measured at 0.85 actograms or 0.85 x (10)^-18 grams, or about one millionth of a trillion grams and 70 billion viruses that will make a person sick attract about 0.0000005 grams.

Former prime minister Raja Pervez Ashraf who was the chief guest cut the red ribbon and formally launched the book.

While addressing the ceremony as chief guest, he highly appreciated Rehman Malik for writing a comprehensive book in a very short time. He said that Rehman Malik always surprises us by his outstanding performance. He said that he was pleased to know that Rehman Malik was the first who felt the potential outbreak of coronavirus in Pakistan and well on time he suggested the government 37- important measures.

The foreword of the book is written by National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser wherein he has highly appreciated the work undertaken by author Rehman Malik and has applauded his 37-points national action on coronavirus.

A special message for the book is written by former Deputy Speaker National Assembly Faisal Karim Kundi and has highly appreciated Rehman Malik for his most needed book on COVID-19.

He said this book is another feather in Rehman Malik’s cap.

At the end of the ceremony, besides thanking the participants, Rehman Malik dedicated the sale proceed to the Shahuda Foundation.

He also hoped that the hard compiled facts will serve as guiding tool in combating the COVID-19.