Pakistan seeks diaspora’s help to curb COVID-19

DUBAI: The federal government has once again approached overseas Pakistanis via its diplomatic missions abroad to help them to prevent and control the coronavirus pandemic in the country.

In this connection, the Government of Pakistan has asked missions abroad to seek possible support from Pakistani community for meeting the national requirements relating to medical supplies and associated items.

Diplomat officials informed The News that Pakistan Foreign Office Islamabad sent a letter to its foreign missions to fetch ventilators and other medical equipment for preventing and testing coronavirus.

“As you are aware that Government of Pakistan is taking necessary measures for the prevention of containment of COVID-19”, the Foreign Office Islamabad’s letter stated, further asking the community members if they could identify medical equipment manufacturers , stocks and suppliers of those items.

On enquiring about the letter, a diplomat official revealed that Pakistan’s mission in Abu Dhabi received the letter a few days back. And, then Pakistan Ambassador to the UAE Ghulam Dastagir sent a letter to affluent Pakistanis living in the emirates requesting them to extend necessary support.

Normally, federal government used to contact its commercial sections in the mission for such purpose but unfortunately there is no commercial counsellor in Pakistan consulate Dubai since the last few months while the commercial section has already been shut down in Pakistan Embassy in Abu Dhabi, UAE few months back.

Another diplomat said that Imran Khan’s government was looking for medical equipment such as ventilators, masks for preventing the coronavirus pandemic. But, unfortunately, these equipment are also in high demand in the emirates so it would be very difficult to arrange equipment, he added.

One Pakistani community leader also confirmed that the body received the letter from the Pakistan mission for the arrangement of medical equipment. He said that the social body could not arrange the ventilators and other equipment quickly but the financial help can be provided during a global pandemic.