Shafaqna Pakistan: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday said that as the country is facing fourth wave of coronavirus, Indian variant is most lethal but the government doesn’t want to ruin the country’s economy by imposing complete lockdown.
Responding to public queries in live Tv programme, “Aapka Wazir-e- Azam Aap kai sath”, he urged the nation to fully adhere to the standard operating procedures (SOPs) to ward off the looming threat of most contagious Delta variant coronavirus.
The prime minister said that the 4th wave contains Indian variant of COVID-19 pandemic is very lethal as it spreads at a fast pace, adding that after witnessing the situation across the globe, it was observed that Delta variant was proving more lethal due to its fast spread.
He said that the World Economic Forum had ranked Pakistan as the third country in the world which had taken timely steps to save lives of its people and its economy.
Imran Khan underlined that to cope with the emerging situation of Delta spread, vaccination was the only solution. He said through prudent decisions, the government had saved 220 million people from the debilitating effects of previous coronavirus waves with scientific decisions and valuable guidance and input provided by the NCOC.
PM Imran Khan also thanked nation for extending cooperation during the pandemic. Mosques in the country kept opened during Ramazan ul Mubarak and the ulema cooperated in implementation of SOPs, adding that wearing of masks could reduce coronavirus spread by 60 to 70 per cent.
Regarding Sindh government s decision of complete lockdown, the prime minister expressed the hope that the provincial government would fully consider its implications over the weaker segments of society especially the daily earners. He said enforcing lockdown was a good decision as it would reduce its spread but the issue which should be considered whether such a decision could save the country, its people and economy.
He observed that imposing complete lockdown would increase hunger. “Never go for lockdown unless you have answers for these issues,” he maintained.
The premier also referred to situation in India where the abrupt lockdown was caused destruction. The government there only thought of the upper and elite classes. He suggested that smart lockdowns could be imposed on areas identified as hotspots. Schools should not be reopened unless all the teachers were vaccinated. He said that they had so far vaccinated 30 million people throughout the country.
Corruption
Imran Khan said, “A corrupt society could not make progress whereas those countries made economic strides that had eliminated this curse from their societies.” “Corruption at the low level did not bankrupt a country, it has always been the ruling elite that ruined the countries through their teeming corruption,” he added.
He said in order to save their skins, the corrupt junta would first weaken the anti-graft bodies, resulting in the destruction of a country. The UN secretary general formed a fact-finding panel as to why the poor countries were miring in poverty, he said, adding, the panel submitted a report indicating that about 1000 billion dollars were being siphoned off from the poor countries to the rich countries through money laundering tactics by the powerful and corrupt ruling elite.
The PM further termed government’s efforts against corruption and for the rule of law as ‘the biggest Jihad’. He said there would be no two separate sets of laws for the powerful and for the poor.
He asked the people to fully cooperate with the government in this regard as they wanted to make the people free from the clutches of injustices. “We want the country to stand on its feet. It should not seek loans or beg for assistance, and should not take part in the other’s war in return for money,” he added.
Noor Muqadam
To a question regarding cold-blooded murder of Noor Makadam, daughter of a former ambassador of Pakistan, the prime minister said he is personally following this matter and assured the nation that culprits will not be allowed to escape the law.
He termed the incident as tragic saying that irrespective of the citizenship or influence of the culprit, he will have to face the law.
“I want to reject the common notion that the accused may escape punishment because they belong to an influential family or have dual nationalities,” he said and added the murderer won t escape punishment regardless of how powerful they are.
Dunya News
