Country can’t run on telethons: Shahbaz

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) President Shahbaz Sharif has said the country cannot run on telethons, a comprehensive policy is required to address healthcare, economic and administrative issues effectively.

The PML-N Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting, chaired by Shahbaz Sharif, Thursday expressed its concerns over utter confusion in the government ranks and the absence of a comprehensive national strategy to fight the pandemic. The meeting raised an alarm over the spread of coronavirus in the country and declared that people were suffering immensely due to a lack of a comprehensive government policy.

The meeting was held through video-link here, and the CEC members criticised the federal government over its reluctance in decision-making to combat the virus.

The PML-N extended unconditional cooperation to the government based on compassion and devotion to the nation. The meeting said the party had formulated a national strategy after extensive consultations with all political parties, sectors and stakeholders for fight against Covid-19. The nation could have benefited a great deal from the extensive work had it been used at the appropriate time. But the government pushed it off the table, regretted the meeting participants. The PML-N leaders said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government lacked capacity to build its own practicable national strategy to fight the pandemic.

The meeting called upon United Nations and the global fraternity to ensure protection of people of Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJ&K) from the pandemic of coronavirus.

“The United Nations and the world must ensure enforcement of global laws and resolutions of UN Security Council to fulfil the requirements for the protection of human lives of ‘incarcerated Kashmiris’ in the biggest open prison under the longest lockdown in the history,” said a resolution unanimously passed by the PML-N CEC.

Shahbaz said Kashmiris were braving the tyranny, oppression of the Indian occupying forces and the new coronavirus simultaneously, adding that India’s despicable, shameful and inhuman acts in the occupied Valley were extremely condemnable.

The PML-N CEC expressed solidarity with the Kashmiris and offered condolences to those families who had lost their loved-ones due to coronavirus.

The CEC meeting noted with grave concern that India’s RSS-led BJP government was fanning Islamophobia and condemned its nefarious attempts to target Muslims by holding them responsible for spread of coronavirus in India.

The PML-N CEC paid tributes to Prime Minister Azad Jammu and Kashmir Raja Farooq Haider Khan and Chief Minister Gilgit-Baltistan Hafiz Hafeezur Rehman, their ministers and other team members for taking exemplary measures in their fight against coronavirus. The meeting also appreciated the efforts of Sindh government in its fight against coronavirus.

The meeting demanded an economic package for farmers and implement a clear-cut and practicable strategy of wheat harvest, transportation or wheat from farm to markets and procurement of the produce.

The meeting suggested reduction in oil prices by Rs50/litre, besides reducing electricity and gas tariff as well.

The meeting expressed its indignation at the lack of provision of personal protective equipment (PPEs) to doctors and medical staff, who were working as frontline soldiers in the fight against coronavirus.

The meeting approved party’s decision regarding appearance of Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Engineer Khurram Dastagir before the probe commission for wheat and sugar scandal, and held Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar responsible for multi-billion heist. The meeting said the party would expose the real culprits of the scandal in the commission.

The meeting also approved party’s demand to call parliament’s session and its decision to submit requisition to convene National Assembly’s session.

The meeting said the PML-N recognises media as the fourth pillar of the state. However, the media was faced with the worst censorship and financial crisis at the hands of the government. “We call for interest-free loans for the media so that provision of salaries of media persons can be ensured under the crisis situation.

“We want an end to the media lockdown and release of Jang/Geo Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman.”

The PML-N meeting paid rich tribute to Saranjam Khan, Raja Ashfaq Sarwar and Raja Muhammad Afzal, who recently passed away.

Shahbaz Sharif said the history would bear witness who used the pandemic to further political agenda and who fulfilled their duty to the nation.