KARACHI: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto has criticized the PTI-led federal government over a delay in the procurement of the COVID-19 vaccine, saying that all the gains made earlier will be lost at this rate.
“Where due to your sacrifices and lockdown Pakistan was ahead, it will now fall behind,” the PPP chairman said, while addressing a press conference at Bilawal House in Karachi today (Saturday).
He pointed out that Pakistan has made no arrangements for import of the vaccine, whereas other countries including India were moving very quickly to secure the vaccine. “The only solution to come out of this difficult situation is the vaccine,” he stressed.
“Sindh government was expecting to roll out the vaccine in January. We were told to be prepared by January so the vaccination can begin,” the PPP Chairman added.
He said the Sindh government had prepared and readied “all mechanisms”, especially to ensure vaccination for frontline workers who are “most vulnerable and the most important” but the vaccine “never came”.
Bilawal further criticised the government, saying that said whether its Pakistan’s economy or its health sector, “our government has failed and this is why the people are suffering”.
“This is why we demand that they step down,” said the PPP chairman. He also said that the controversies and cases the PTI is embroiled “are there for everyone to see”.
“Transparency International says Pakistan’s most corrupt government is the PTI government,” he said. The PPP chairman said that during their time, the Billion Tree Tsunami scandal, the BRT project scandal and the foreign funding case all surfaced.