Asad stresses joint efforts to deal with natural disasters

LAHORE: Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umer has said there is a need to work together to deal with natural disasters like earthquakes, hurricanes and coronavirus, adding all institutions including media, judiciary, scholars, doctors, nurses, paramedical staff played a vital role during the pandemic.

The minister was addressing online in the inaugural session of the two-day national conference on 'Challenges of Governance in Pakistan Amid the Covid-19 Pandemic' organised by Punjab University’s Department of Political Science.

Ambassador of China to Pakistan Nong Rong attended the session online, while PU VC Prof Niaz Ahmad Akhtar, former caretaker CM Prof Dr Hassan Askari, Founding Director Centre for Public Policy and Governance FC College Lahore Dr Saeed Shafqat, Dean Faculty Behavioral and Social Sciences Prof Dr Umbreen Javed, Chairperson Department of Political Science Prof Dr Iram Khalid, researchers, senior faculty members and a large number of students participated in the conference.

In his address, Asad Umer said during Covid-19, the government faced twin challenges of saving the economy along with the health of people, due to which the National Coordinating Committee (NCC) and National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) were set up to combat and convey the truth to the people.

He said the government and the military leadership together in the NCOC made the best decisions in the national interest. He said the NCOC decided on lockdown, hotspot lockdown and smart lockdown based on daily data so that people's health and economic condition could be improved. He said he made all the decisions keeping in view the situation of his country after learning from other countries. He said that keeping in view the lack of resources and poor health facilities to deal with the epidemic, the government has increased the facilities at hospitals.

He said China supported Pakistan in difficult time. He said through artificial intelligence, the government was formulating a strategy for the future so that an effective and integrated strategy could be formulated to tackle challenges like corona.