Don’t panic, act responsibly, PM tells nation

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Tuesday though coronavirus was bound to spread, the nation would get through the challenge successfully, as he advised people not to panic and act responsibility to stem the spread of the infection.

The Prime Minister’s address to the nation on Covid-19 came as the number of cases increased to 237 in the country with 172 in Sindh, 26 Punjab, 16 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 16 Balochistan, 4 Islamabad and 3 in Gilgit-Baltistan.

The Prime Minister paid tributes to the government of Balochistan and the Pakistan Army for ensuring that pilgrims arriving from Taftan were quarantined. Khan said the government was following the coronavirus situation closely.

Referring to the coronavirus situation around the world, he said the US, Italy and England had reacted differently to the virus. However, he added, Pakistan could not afford the same response as European countries. “Our economic situation is very fragile,” he said. “If we close down the country, what will happen to the poor? People will die of hunger here,” he said.

Khan said his government took the difficult decision to prohibit public gatherings and ban events where public showed up in huge numbers such as the Pakistan Super League 2020.

Khan said while the government and people would have to take precautions, it should be kept in mind the virus would spread. “Get it through your heads, the virus will spread.”

The Prime Minister said an economic committee would determine how the government could cope with the coronavirus situation. Khan said he feared food prices would once again go up as profiteers and hoarders would once again resume illicit activities.

“I want to warn these people [profiteers, hoarders] not to make money from the people’s misery,” he said. “The state will take stern action against you.” He said the virus was spreading in countries and the government was studying responses of other governments and how they were acting to eliminate the pandemic.

He advised people to avoid large gatherings and refrain from shaking hands with each other. He said every person should not get themselves tested based on only mild flu symptoms.

He said testing kits should be used for only people who were really suffering from the novel virus. He asked Ulema to play a positive role in the crisis.