Shehryar Afridi pledges efforts to overcome coronavirus challenge

PESHAWAR: State Minister for Narcotics Control and States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON) Shehryar Afridi said here on Wednesday the government would continue to make all efforts to help the people in the situation arising out of the coronavirus outbreak.

Addressing a press conference at Khyber House, he said not only Pakistan but the entire world was facing a tough situation due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Shehryar Afridi said the government would stand by providing all facilities to the needy and deserving people at their doorstep.

The minister said Prime Minister Imran Khan had established “Corona Relief Fund. He urged philanthropists and well-off people to generously donate to it besides reaching out to the vulnerable segments of the society in respective areas for assistance. The minister said it was our collective responsibility to help the poor, marginalized and have-nots in the wake of coronavirus crisis.

He said people from all walks of life have reposed trust in the policies of the prime minister in the wake of coronavirus crisis and are following the government instructions. Shehryar Afridi said the prime minister and KP chief minister have announced relief packages to help poor people, daily wagers, labourers and other vulnerable segments who have lost jobs due to lockdowns imposed to prevent the spread of the deadly coronavirus. He said the prime minister has directed ministers, MNAs and MPAs to reach out constituents for monitoring of relief efforts and address people problems. Shehryar Afridi said Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and his team would ensure expatriate Pakistanis dignified repatriation. He said it was not a time for political point-scoring rather we should rise above party politics and serve poor people with more generosity and dedication.

Shehryar Afridi said the prime minister had announced a special package for the Afghan refugees as well in “Ihsas Programme” in Pakistan. He said he had also asked diplomats of various countries to assist the Afghan refugees in Pakistan. The state minister praised the Shahid Afridi Foundation for providing food and ration to around 4,000 poor families in Kohat and adjoining areas. He said Pakistanis were known worldwide for donations to poor people in times of difficulty and hoped that they would demonstrate the same spirit of giving donations as shown by them during the 2010 floods and 2005 earthquakes.

The minister directed the KP chief secretary to quickly finalize mechanism for disbursement of Rs 5000 per month to each poor household under CM relief package. Deputy Commissioner Khyber Mahmood Aslam Wazir and Shahid Afridi Foundation President Iqbal Afridi were present on the occasion.