ISLAMABAD: Federal Planning Minister Asad Umar has warned that within two weeks, Pakistan’s coronavirus situation would be the same as in June when the country saw a peak in Covid-19 cases unless the public changes its attitude.
Addressing a press conference after chairing a meeting of the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC), Asad Umar urged the people of Pakistan to take necessary precautions, including mask-wearing, hand washing, avoiding handshakes and physical contact.
“The rate at which the virus spread is growing, and there is no reason that it would not grow at the same rate unless we change our attitude and take precautions,” the minister asserted.
Recalling the country’s COVID-19 situation in June, Umar pointed out that the situation had gotten so serious that people had trouble finding beds in hospitals. “The government does not want the situation to get to the point where the lives and incomes of people are threatened,” he added.
The Planning Minister also urged the opposition leaders to avoid political gatherings and to spread awareness among their supporters. “The NA speaker had summoned a meeting of the parliamentary committee formed to tackle coronavirus after the NCOC wrote them a letter,” he announced.
He also informed that the meeting, which will be held tomorrow, is expected to be attended by the political leadership of all parties. “We will hopefully be able to sit and decide how to separate people’s lives and livelihoods from politics,” he added.
“There is no ban on politics in this country,” Umar reasoned, adding that the government had imposed a ban on political rallies and gatherings because they can be a source of the virus’ spread.
He also pointed out that said that the Islamabad High Court had declared in one of its verdicts that the decisions being made by the NCOC and National Coordination Committee are for the larger interest of the public and should be followed.
“We know that when corona spreads, people’s income is affected badly and we have seen this happen in the world’s richest countries,” he said, adding that the government does not want a situation where the lives and income of the masses are threatened.
