National Party demands Covid-19 testing facilities at Tehsil level

QUETTA: The National Party (NP) has issued a set of comprehensive policies on the procurement and administration of coronavirus vaccine and proper management of the impact of disease on education and economy.

In the working session organized by PILDAT of Policy Wing of National Party here the other day, Jan Muhammad Buledi, Secretary General of NP, discussed the National Party’s policies on Vaccination, Education and Economy under COVID-19.

Buledi asked the government to take special steps to safeguard the lives of every citizen, specially doctors and paramedical staff. Moreover, the vaccine should be provided to every citizen free of cost, he said. “Private sector should also be allowed to import the vaccine,” he demanded.

The NP emphasised keeping the health emergency enforced until the eradication of the virus. The public and private hospitals should be bound to designate corona wards. The party, Buledi said, believes that social security hospitals and Basic Health Units must be upgraded to facilitate coronavirus patients. For this purpose, health budget should also be increased, he demanded. Testing facilities should be extended to Tehsil level.

It called for declaring Education Emergency across the country. The NP favours opening of educational institutions under strict SOPs. It also demanded removing ban on 3G and 4G internet services to facilitate online education.

The Secretary General of NP demanded that the utility bills of private schools be waived, reducing 50pc of their building rents, besides asking the government to contribute to their salaries during the pandemic. The private schools were asked to lower their fees introducing smart syllabus and conducting examinations timely.

Regarding performance of economy under COVID-19, it said smart lockdown policy is the best strategy. The NP demanded keeping the industrial sector open but the grant of subsidies be linked to regular disbursement of salaries to their employees during the pandemic. The party advocated offering subsidies and soft loans to the public transport and hotels. Social security allowance should also be provided to industrial workers, the document stated.

The party called for an open debate in the parliament to review and adopt measures to counter the pandemic and take steps to control unemployment and price hike. The National Party also called for revisiting the IMF programs and increase in the amount of Benazir Income Support Program disbursements to facilitate the masses.

The notable NP members who attended the policy planning session included Abdul Ghani Rind, District President Lasbela, Abdul Hameed Baloch, Member Central Committee Abdul Khaliq Baloch, Provincial President Haji Atta Muhammad Bangalzai, District President Quetta and others.