Daily Times

Former interior minister and Senate Standing Committee on Interior Chairman Rehman Malik on Saturday urged Prime Minister Imran Khan to call all parties conference at the earliest to devise a joint strategy to counter coronavirus and its effects in the country.

While addressing a press conference, Senator Rehman Malik expressed grave concerns over the rapid increase in the number of coronavirus cases in Pakistan and said that he fears its further increase in upcoming days if preventive measures on war footing are not taken. He expressed great grief and rich tribute to those medical professionals who have died of Covid-19 and prayed for the speedy recovery of those who are tested positive and expressed sympathies with their families.

Senator Rehman Malik said amid prevailing situation particularly after Eid holidays, it is necessary for Imran Khan to keep aside the ego and political differences and immediately call APC with a single point agenda to create consensus in formulating strategy for countering coronavirus in the country. “Since the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic in Pakistan, we have suffered irreparable damages adding no doubt that the whole world continues to face the consequences of this devastating phenomenon, but there are several examples, where countries, with their timely planning and foresight have addressed the issue with greater success,” he said. “We are entering the more critical phase of this pandemic in Pakistan, where the implosion could affect the most sensitive organs and incapacitate our functioning,” he said. “The need for a consensus and unified response has increased manifold. With the convergence of the pandemic threat, looming global recession, aggravating trade wars, shifting geostrategic political patterns, hasty pull out of foreign troops from Afghanistan, tensions in the Gulf, rearing head of terrorism in Pakistan, and the incessant belligerent Indian attitude, increasing atrocities in Kashmir, a clear exploitative tool of hybrid warfare is shaping up in hands of the enemies of Pakistan, ready to strike Pakistan. Not-too-distant drums of war are being beaten in the region that are harbinger of existential challenges for Pakistan,” he added.

Meanwhile, in a letter to prime minister, Senator Malik said, “It has become extremely important that we, with least loss of time, also implement important SOPs.” He suggested that face masks may be declared as necessary to wear and may be distributed to the citizen free of cost or at least face masks and hand sanitizers may be provided on subsidized rates in the rural areas. He also suggested that every doctor to be provided with personal protective equipment (PPEs). He has strongly recommended that a risk allowance given to the doctors and paramedical staff may be increased by 100%.

Senator appealed to the non-practicing female doctors to come forward and register themselves to serve the people of their homeland in these difficult moments of Coronavirus outbreak. He said that as per his information a majority of the female doctors are not practicing because of their family responsibilities but it is time to volunteer themselves and serve the country by showing compassion to humanity.

Senator Malik, in his press conference, strongly condemned the Indian continuous unprovoked aggression across Line of Control (LoC), targeting civilian population and surveillance of spy drones violating Pakistani airspace. He said that India must remember that any Indian aggression will be retaliated in befitting manner.

Senator Malik warned the Afghan government and its intelligence agency NDS to stop playing in the hands of RAW by interfering and carrying out subversive activities in Balochistan and other parts of Pakistan. He said RAW is working in collaboration with NDS for creating instability and hostility in Balochistan and tribal areas by terrorist activities.