Shahbaz unveils plan to fight coronavirus

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President and Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif on Thursday unveiled a plan to ensure the uninterrupted supply of food and medicines across the country amid a virus lockdown.

The plan envisions the use of Utility Stores for ensuring continuity of food supplies to different districts. He suggested the supply of food and medicines should be ensured through Utility Stores across the country. He said citizens should use telephone lines and mobile applications to order food and medicines to their homes. He recommended the distribution of such items through Pakistan Post and National Logistics Cell (NLC) staff and vehicles.

He said Baitul Maal, Benazir Income Support Programme and other subsidies should be used by the government to bring down the prices of essential items.

Sharif urged the government to provide protective suits and other items to armed forces’ personnel and other government employees for their safety. The PML-N chief paid homage to the soldiers, doctors, paramedical staff and government employees who were risking their lives to perform their duties in the time of crisis. He said the protection of frontline soldiers should be ensured who were guarantors of life of whole nation.

The opposition leader said the government’s relief package to deal with the coronavirus crisis was inadequate and incomplete. The concerns of the opposition regarding the package must be addressed, he stressed. He said the points of comprehensive strategy approved by joint opposition should immediately be included in the government policy.

He urged the government to deal with the crisis with foresight, intelligence and incredible patience. However, he added, the government was taking “angry decisions”. He emphasised after the emergence of new virus cases in the country, a complete lockdown was inevitable.

Sharif said the charter of demands of Sindh province should be sent to the federal government for its immediate implementation. He suggested that Council of Common Interest’s meeting should be held on a daily basis. He further said the Punjab local government should immediately be restored. He called upon the government to ensure health and economic management at every level. He said the policy rate should at least be decreased by 4 per cent.