Daily Times

A book titled Coronavirus – Threat To National Security written by former Interior Minister and Senate Standing Committee on Interior Chairman A Rehman Malik was launched on Saturday by former Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf.

Due to the coronavirus situation, when social distancing and isolation are being observed to control this deadly pandemic, the book was launched in a simple but highly impressive ceremony through video link. The ceremony was also attended by renowned journalists.

The ceremony commenced with recitation from the Holy Quran and national anthem. In his opening remarks, Senator A Rehman Malik welcomed the distinguished guests and briefed the audiences on the book. He said that the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has brought miseries and confusions to the states, as the pandemic has sent shock waves across the world.

He said that in the begging, the world took it lightly and treated it like a normal virus, and it is also heartening that experts and the international authorities concerned had not warned about its multiplying growth in the world. He said that soon after the confirmation of the first two cases in Pakistan, he called an emergency meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Interior on February 27, 2020, and suggested a comprehensive national action plan on coronavirus containing 37 actions and measures to be taken on war footing to block the potential spread of the pandemic in Pakistan.

He expressed that he wishes the government had implemented those 37 points in letter and spirit. He said that he had suggested strict measures at airports and all entry points, and had directed that no passenger should enter Pakistan without proper screening for COVID-19 and should not be allowed to leave for home, but instead be quarantined for a specific time. He said that well on time he had suggested to close all the educational institutions, establish quarantine and isolation centres in each city and provide doctors, paramedics and all officials at airports with PPEs. He said that he had also suggested to immediately announce a taskforce like the National Coordination Centre for COVID-19 and to enhance the testing capacity. He said that things had improved since the National Coordination Centre was established and had taken over the control to combat coronavirus. He said that all operations were being managed with visible improvement. He urged the nation to follow all measures to stop further spread of coronavirus.

Senator A Rehman Malik further said that the weight of a virus is measured at 0.85 actograms or 0.85 x (10)^-18 grams, or about one millionth of a trillion grams, and 70 billion viruses that will make a person sick attract about 0.0000005 grams. Since the total number of cases worldwide is now over 2 million, the total weight of the rogue viruses, which are present in the world, comes to about 1 gram, he added. He said that this virus and the creator of virus has brought the entire world on its knees with a total of 1 gram of virus.

He said, “I have been posing this question why with all advance medical technology we have so far failed to find its antidote, and some background interviews indicate that the same virus had attacked in 1994 -95.”

Raja Pervez Ashraf, who was the chief guest, cut the ribbon and formally launched the book. While addressing the ceremony, he highly appreciated Senator A Rehman Malik for writing a comprehensive book in a very short time. He said that Senator A Rehman Malik “always surprises us by his outstanding performance”. He said that he was pleased to know that Senator A Rehman Malik was the first who predicted the potential outbreak of coronavirus in Pakistan and, well on time, had urged the government to take 37 important measures. He said that had the government implemented his 37-point national action plan on coronavirus, the situation would have been very different today. He said that the book was a complete guideline for the government of Pakistan and NHS across the world as to how to combat coronavirus and any such epidemic in the future. He said that being an investigator, Senator A Rehman Malik couldn’t ignore the multiple conspiracy theories about the origin of COVID-19, so he has written letters to the UN secretary general to investigate whether the virus was manmade or naturally grown. He said that he was highly impressed by the TORs Senator Malik has suggested to the UN secretary general for UN Commission on COVID-19. He said that if any commission in the future was constituted on coronavirus, the credit of it shall go to Senator A Rehman Malik.

Raja Pervez Ashraf said, “We should refrain from political blame game on the issue of coronavirus and should unitedly combat this pandemic, as concerns our lives as well as the lives of our children.”

In the preface of the book, Senator A Rehman Malik writes that the world is witnessing now the row between China and the US, which has become a major debate in the international media, and that the world’s electronic and print media is buzzing about the geo-location of the origin of the COVID-19, the detection of zero patient and why the behaviour, intensity and fertility rate of COVID-19 is varying from country to country.

He said that the world is confused whether it is a manmade or naturally grown virus. He writes, “I have done a very deep study and research and based on the strong opinion emerging in the international media, I decided to write a letter below in my personal capacity to the secretary-general, UNO. I am reproducing the same letter for the information of the readers and I hope that the secretary-general, UNO will take necessary action in view of the concerns shown by the masses.”

The book Coronavirus – Threat To National Security is divided into two parts. Part A consists of 24 chapters in which the author has evaluated the virus’ threat to the national health and has proposed a 37-point anti-corona national action plan. Part-B consists of the efforts of Senator A Rehman Malik as chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Interior and as an individual Pakistani in his fight against coronavirus. The complied knowledge is comprehensive and credible, and serves the purpose of educating its readers about the basics of the viruses, epidemics, pandemics and biological weapons.

The foreword of the book is written by National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, wherein he has highly appreciated the work undertaken by author Senator A Rehman Malik and has applauded his 37-point national action plan on coronavirus. A special message for the book is written by former National Assembly Deputy Speaker Faisal Karim Kundi, who has highly appreciated Senator A Rehman Malik for his most needed book on COVID-19. He said this book is another feather in Senator A Rehman Malik’s cap.

At the end of the ceremony, besides thanking the participants, Senator A Rehman Malik dedicated the sale proceeds to the Shohdaas Foundation.

He also hoped that the hard compiled facts will serve as a guiding tool in combating the COVID-19.