Shibli says corona can spike again if people showed carelessness

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Shibli Faraz said Sunday that owing to prudent strategy, the coronavirus pandemic was in control but was still here and could witness spike, if public repeated the carelessness witnessed on Eidul Fitr.

He contended that the government had adopted a balanced strategy to cope with the challenge of coronavirus pandemic effectively and ensure the wheel of economic kept moving and people got livelihood.

Speaking here at a news conference along with Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Digital Pakistan Tania Aidrus and Focal Person to PM on COVID-19 Dr Faisal Sultan, the minister said Pakistan introduced smart lockdown policy to save precious lives and livelihood of the people.

The minister maintained the Pakistani model on the virus was being replicated in many countries in the world. He urged masses to strictly observe social distancing and necessary SOPs to keep the pandemic under control. He paid tributes to the NCOC, doctors, nurses, paramedic staff, district administration for their key role in reversing the virus trend.

Replying to questions, the minister said that the elite class was the same, which would agree to decisions at the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) and then play politics outside. “They are the representatives of the elite class, who has looted and plundered Pakistan and now their generations could survive without doing anything for long but the common man can’t affords lockdown,” he noted.

He went on to allege they (the elite class) wished and prayed for the pandemic to play havoc with the national economy and people’s lives but the heroes of Pakistan not only saved people but also the economy from the worst impact, which many developed states experienced.

Shibli pointed out that Prime Minister Imran Khan from day one, had the opinion that Pakistan could not afford complete lockdown policy due to ground realities, being so different from other countries. He continued that many countries that had observed strict lockdown to stop spread of this global epidemic were now facing economic hardships and rising death toll.

Shibli Faraz said the NCOC played a vital role and managed the situation scientifically with analysing data on daily basis, keeping in view the statistics and the evolving situation.

He noted that at the time of Eidul Fitr, the cases of coronavirus had spiked for people thronged markets and shopping malls without adopting social distancing practice and other SOPs. He added that the pandemic was in control but it was still prevalent and carelessness might prove costly.

The minister made an appeal to the masses to adopt SOPs on the occasion of Eidul Azha, as it was necessary to defeat the pandemic, which was presently in control.

The minister contended that those supporting complete lockdown did not have the moral courage to accept the fact that the prime minister's strategy had paid the dividends. Having full cognisance of problems of the weak segments of the society, he added that various unprecedented steps were taken to mitigate their sufferings and save them from financial crisis.

Meanwhile, Shibli Faraz said the massive construction project, Naya Pakistan Housing initiative, would kick start the economy and create jobs.

He tweeted, “First time ever a massive construction project, Naya Pakistan Housing initiative, unleashed by the government to enable affordable housing & facilitate construction industry through different incentives. This initiative will also kick start economy & create jobs.”