Pakistan cannot afford total lockdown: PM Imran Khan

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has reiterated that Pakistan could not afford to impose a total lockdown.

PM Imran in the address to the nation, said that 25 percent of the people in the country live below the poverty line, adding that

The Prime Minister also urged the nation to keep calm and not panic as the country battles the coronavirus outbreak.

Commenting on the lockdown situation, he said, “Let me tell you what a lockdown is. Lockdown means putting a curfew and restricting people to their homes with the military on the streets.”

He further said that if the situation in Pakistan escalated like Italy and China he would have thought about imposing a lockdown.

The Prime Minister asserted that 90 percent of the people infected with coronavirus, recover after a few days.

“If the virus spreads it is old and the weak that will suffer and will have to go to the hospitals,” he added.”

While urging the people, PM Imran advised the people to avoid public gathering and handshakes. He also advised people to take precautionary measures to ensure minimum spread of the virus.

“It is your responsibility to exercise caution and restraint. That’s the reason we have closed down malls, schools and universities,” he added.

PM Imran further urged the people of Pakistan to unite in this tough situation to fight the coronavirus.

He said, “I take pride in my nation, we have braved many problems and crisis, adding that a nation’s character is found in hard times and I saw my nation character in the 2005 earthquake and 2010 floods.”

Referring to China’s example, he said that Pakistan could also come out of this pandemic if the public was disciplined and practiced self-isolation.

“The nation needs to know that the incumbent government is addressing the challenges to make sure the public remains and we come out of this,” he added.

He also announced that he will inform the nation about the economy of the country next week.

He once again said that panic is more dangerous than coronavirus. “You need to put your trust in the government because we are working on how to tackle this pandemic,” he added.