Daily Times

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan Monday said decisions of the National Coordination Committee (NCC) chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan have been deferred for a day on the request of Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, who has sought some time before making any decision regarding opening of essential industries.

Giving a briefing to media after the meeting, Dr Firdous said unity and cohesion are need of the hour to take a coherent action in fight against coronavirus pandemic. She said the prime minister is making all-out efforts to promote national narrative in war against coronavirus. She said the prime minister has asked the Sindh chief minister to explain what impact will an extension in lockdown in Sindh leave over the labour class.

Commenting on the press conference of Sindh chief minister, she said instead of issuing media statements, it is time to serve the masses. She said if Sindh province is facing any problems, the federal government should be informed about them. She asked the Sindh government not to give an impression that the federal government is not listening to its proposals and suggestions, as mere allegations only make the matters worse. She said it is not time for political point scoring, rather everyone should work in tandem to synergize the efforts against the disease. “If you have any reservations regarding any decision or lack clarity over any issue, it would have been better if you brought it up during the [NCC] meeting instead of talking about it on the media,” she said.

“The prime minister of Pakistan is fighting on two fronts right now. On one front he has to look for ways to defeat the coronavirus and how to ensure the protection of our people from it. For that, we are moving forward in accordance with national policy and narrative,” she said. “On the second front, he has to find a way to shield our daily-wage workers and impoverished class from hunger. For that, we have to develop alternative strategies which will run parallel [to our strategy to deal with coronavirus],” he added.

Awan also responded to Shah’s criticism of the Emergency Cash Programme, saying that it was an important step taken by the prime minister to ensure that lower-income people do not go without food and necessary supplies. She told the chief minister to exercise his ‘administrative powers’ in order to ensure social distancing at the centres where people are gathering to collect cash. She urged Shah to work with the government as a team with prime minister the leader of the team and fulfil his responsibilities. “This is not the time to escape responsibility,” she said.

She said the prime minister has advised the provincial governments to follow standard operating procedures (SOPs) regarding the return of Pakistanis abroad and give their viewpoint in meeting on Tuesday so that the relevant departments can form a roadmap for their return. She said the government under the leadership of Imran Khan is striving to save the poor segments of the society from starvation. She said the provinces should open those industries which do not pose any threat of the spread of coronavirus.

Meanwhile, Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiative Asad Umar has said that some major decisions on coronavirus including with respect to the ongoing lockdown in the country will be taken on Tuesday (today) in a special meeting of National Command and Operation Center (NCOC). In his daily media briefing after meeting of NCOC here, Asad Umar said the meeting will prepare recommendations for the NCC that will be held later in the day under the chairmanship of the prime minister. The NCC will make final decisions on some major issues with regard to coronavirus including lockdown. He further informed that normally chief secretaries of all provinces participate in the NCOC meeting, however in Tuesday’s meeting, chief ministers of all provinces and Gilgit Baltistan, and Prime Minister Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) will participate to ensure that all decisions are made unanimously. “In order to support the decision on lockdown, the federal government will provide all required information to the provinces prior to the meeting,” he added.

With regard to the meeting held on Monday, the minister said the meeting reviewed situation of transportation, country’s economy and trade in the country. Expressing satisfaction over the slow pace of spread of coronavirus, Asad Umar said the federal and provincial governments’ timely decision contributed a lot in slowing down the spread of coronavirus in the country. “Overall, the Pakistani nation has also expressed a sense of responsibility which resulted in containing spread of the pandemic,” he added.

On demands by the businessmen to open up their trade activities, the minister said if the government accepts their demand, the responsibility of maintaining good health of their employees will fall on them and no excuse will be accepted. “This is their right to do business, but health of the employees that works under them will be responsibility of those businessmen,” he said, and also hinted at making legislation to bound such businessmen and industrialists to follow all preventive measures issued by the government to contain coronavirus.