Daily Times

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa Tuesday said every citizen of the country is important as the nation is striving to contain the pandemic of coronavirus.

Presiding over the 231st Corps Commanders’ Conference here, the COAS said, “Being a nation with vibrant youth and resilient people ready to share and sacrifice, we will emerge stronger from this challenge, by the Will of Allah Almighty.”

The corps commanders participated through video link from respective headquarters, an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) press release said. Appreciating the troops in the field for efforts so far, the COAS directed all commanders to extend maximum assistance in moving critical resources and reaching out to mitigate suffering of people in far flung areas including Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, interior Sindh and Balochistan.

The forum reviewed geo-strategic, regional and national security environment with particular emphasis on latest situation arising from COVID-19. It undertook a comprehensive review of deployment of Pakistan Army troops assisting civil administration in aid of civil power across the country.

The meeting was apprised of functioning of National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), established to synergise and articulate national effort for containment of COVID-19. The forum paid tribute to those on frontline including doctors, paramedics, healthcare workers and LEAs for braving this pandemic under a challenging environment. It also paid tribute to the Kashmiri people who are fighting the pandemic under Indian atrocities and struggling for their just cause of self-determination.

Meanwhile, emergency supplies of medical equipment, including personal protective equipment (PPEs), are being dispatched to Quetta on orders of the chief of army staff ‘to help medical staff fight Covid-19 effectively in Balochistan’. “Doctors and paramedics are the frontline soldiers in this war. Most advanced nations/govts are finding it extremely difficult to fight this pandemic,” COAS Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa was quoted as saying by Inter-Services Public Relations via Twitter. “Pakistan government is striving hard to acquire and supply the required resources. In this hour of distress, we must remain patient and steadfast,” Gen Bajwa added.

The directive comes a day after young doctors and paramedics gathered on the premises of Civil Hospital Quetta and protested against the health authorities for not supplying safety gears and other preventive items to the doctors performing duty in hospitals. Police said 30 doctors had been arrested for taking out a protest really in violation of Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure imposed by the Balochistan government in the provincial capital in connection with the lockdown. According to YDA, however, more than 100 doctors and health workers were arrested.