Jamaat-e-Islami extends support to govt in case of lockdown

PESHAWAR: The Jamaat-e-Islami has assured support to the government for the proposed lockdown of the country in the wake of coronavirus pandemic.

Through a video message on Sunday, provincial president of the party, Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan, said the coronavirus has become a global pandemic, which has affected nearly 190 countries and the world economy as well. The JI leader was earlier scheduled to address a press conference. However, given the increased risk of the viral disease, he preferred to send his message to the media through videoconference.

He said the viral disease is rapidly increasing in the country, which needs to be combated as a nation. “In order to combat the challenge on the one hand, we should turn to Allah and seek His forgiveness for our sins and on the other adopt preventive measures,” he stressed. Mushtaq Ahmad Khan said the JI and Al-Khidmat Foundation were available for the people in these testing times. He said that the Al-Khidmat Foundation had 30 hospitals with a capacity of 800 beds in the province. The foundation, added the JI leader, has already offered these hospitals to the government for establishment of isolation centers.

The foundation has offered its 90 ambulances and 7, 500 trained volunteers to the government in case of emergency, he said. He said the foundation has already launched an awareness campaign in the province. The volunteers are distributing masks, sanitizers and soaps in different parts of the province. The volunteers have been asked to provide edible items to the people in the areas where lockdown has already been declared, he said.

Mushtaq Ahmad Khan said the government should take the situation seriously and hold an online All Parties Conference and take strong decisions at the earliest.

He said the government should ensure supplies of essential items to the people. It should check the markets so that the profiteers might not exploit the situation. The JI leader said the government should ensure the establishment of utility stores in the affected areas so that the people may not face food and other items shortage. He said the government should use the data of Benazir Income Support Programme and provide free ration for one month to the deserving people of the affected areas. The JI leader expressed concern over the increased prices of the petroleum products. He said the prices of petroleum products were touching the lowest ebb in the international markets, while in Pakistan its prices were much higher. The JI senator said the government was earning a benefit of Rs 5 billion from the products on a daily basis. It should, he demanded, announce cut in the prices at the earliest so that the benefit could be shifted to the people.