Senate panel lauds NCOC efforts to contain corona

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Defence Friday visited the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) and lauded the joint efforts of the NCOC and the federating units against COVID-19.

Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Defence Senator Walid Iqbal led the delegation.

Chairman NCOC and Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar briefed the delegation on NCOC measures and strides made to overcome the COVID-19 outbreak in collaboration with the federating units.

Asad Umar said all policy decisions pertaining to COVID-19 were being taken with mutual consensus of all the federating units where no political interference and hindrance was observed in the process.

Senator Walid Iqbal thanked the NCOC and the armed forces for their all-out support to the civil administration in coping with the pandemic.

He observed that the Senate Standing Committee on Defence had unanimously acknowledged and appreciated the critical role played by the NCOC in fight against COVID-19 and unanimously believed it to represent it a classic example of outstanding civil military collaboration.

He said the measures and efforts of NCOC had helped in encouraging the masses to observe voluntary behavioural change that resulted in decline of the disease; however, no complacency should be observed by the populace in adhering to safety and health protocols to contain the pandemic outbreak, he emphasised.

The senators interacted with the entire NCOC team and presented their suggestions and submissions. The committee also offered fateha for those who lost their lives due to covid-19.

National Coordinator NCOC Lieutenant General Hamood Uz Zaman, Minister for Interior Brig (R) Ejaz Ahmed Shah, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan, Chairman NDMA Lieutenant General Muhammad Afzal, Senators Walid Iqbal, Lieutenant General (R) Abdul Qayyum, Anwar ul Haq Kakar, Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Sajjad Hussain Turi, Abdul Rehman Malik and Mushtaq Ahmed Khan participated in the meeting.