Daily Times

The opposition parties on Wednesday continued to criticise federal government for what they said inappropriate measures against coronavirus outbreak in the country, also claiming that the Centre had totally failed to provide a strategic plan to contain the pandemic.

“When coronavirus cases were limited, the government enforced complete lockdowns, and now when the cases are on a persistent rise, the federal government has relaxed the restrictions,” former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi lamented during his speech in the National Assembly. “The prime minister had said he would not impose lockdown in the country because the poor and daily wagers would suffer as a result of it. He then said that the lockdown had been enforced by the elite. Who are these elite?” he asked, addressing the floor of the Lower House. “The day the prime minister said he would not enforce a lockdown, there was a curfew in front of his own house,” he said. “Then a new word ‘smart lockdown’ was introduced. Where is the federal government’s decision about the lockdown? It was the provinces’ decision to enforce lockdowns.”

Hitting out at a minister he did not name, Abbasi said, “Today a fourth minister from the government came and addressed the House, but did not speak about their strategy at all. If this House is to run, the opposition needs to speak first and the government shall answer then. All we need to know is what the government has planned when it comes to dealing with the pandemic.” In his speech, former prime minister and PPP leader Raja Pervez Ashraf said that political point-scoring will distract focus from the real challenge. “At this time, we need to be united and working together to defeat the pandemic,” he said. “The prime minister is the health minister as well and it is his responsibility to form a united front. The speaker has called for the national leadership and only through a national consensus will the issue be solved,” he noted.

Earlier, while addressing the floor of the House, Education Minister Shafqat Mehmood said that the government has decided to take everyone along in fight against the pandemic. “Pakistan has not been affected by coronavirus as badly as other countries. Since we want to keep everyone on the same page, we established the National Coordination Committee and National Command and Control Centre,” he said.

Shahida Rehmani of Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal called upon the parliament to evolve a comprehensive strategy to face the challenge. She emphasized on giving agriculture sector more focus to avoid food shortage in the country by taking advantage of reduced petroleum prices in the international market.

Salahuddin of MQM-Pakistan appreciated the federal government for turning complete lockdown into smart lockdown to protect economy and daily-wage earners, who had been suffering a lot due to restrictions on movements and closure of businesses.

Maulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali demanded a corona testing lab in Chitral.

PML-N leader Khawaja Saad Rafiq asked the government to shun its policy of ”political victimization’, particularly during coronavirus outbreak. He also demanded that the government reduce the coronavirus test fees from Rs 8,000 to about Rs 2,000.