All necessary measures to ensure public safety are being taken: COAS

RAWALPINDI: Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Wednesday attended a special briefing at National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) about the latest situation on containment efforts and enforcement measures against COVID-19 and troops deployment across the country assisting federal and provincial administrations in aid of civil power.

General Bajwa said that all necessary measures to ensure public safety are being taken. “We can not afford to leave any segment of the society at the mercy of this pandemic. Troops on ground must reach out to citizens in every nook and corner of Pakistan not only to protect them against this pandemic but also for bringing comfort in this hour of distress,” the army chief was quoted as saying by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

COAS reiterated that the vulnerabilities can only be addressed through a coherent national effort before they turn into threats, adding that the planned measures if implemented timely will contribute to safety and wellbeing of every Pakistani and the society.

“We must rise and rise together irrespective of caste, colour, creed and religion fighting as One Nation. The task at hand is daunting, but we have overcome difficult situations before. This time the challenge is entirely different. Armed Forces will stand shoulder to shoulder with nation to guard the border between people and COVID-19,” he added

General Bajwa said the Pakistan Army being part of the national effort will not leave any stone unturned for security and safety of people of Pakistan. The forum expressed complete satisfaction over the measures taken against the coronavirus crisis and also discussed further course of action.

The NCOC is serving as one-window operation to articulate national effort against COVID-19, make e informed decision making and ensure implementation of decisions of National Security Committee (NSC) and National Coordination Committee (NCC). Commander Army Air Defence Command Lieutenant General Hamood-uz-Zaman Khan has been designated as chief coordinator NCOC.

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Minister for Planning, Development, Reforms, and Focal person for National effort for COVID-19 Asad Umar, Interior Minister Brig Ijaz Ahmed Shah, Minister for Economic Affairs Hammad Azhar, Finance Adviser Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh also attended the briefing along with senior military officials.

Minister for Communications & Postal Services Murad Saeed, Minister Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan, Minister for National Food Security and Research Khusro Bakhtiar, Minister Maritime Affairs Ali Zaidi, SAPM for Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, SAPM Health Dr Zafar Mirza, SAPM National Security Moeed Yousaf, and SAPM on Poverty Alleviation Sania Nishtar were also present in the briefing.