PAC satisfied with NDMA’s briefing on handling of Covid-19

ISLAMABAD: The Public Accounts Committee Thursday appreciated the role and contribution of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and National Command and Operation Centre in efficiently handling the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly the swift distribution of vaccines and medical kits to the provinces and hospitals.

The Public Accounts Committee held its in-camera meeting chaired by Rana Tanveer Hussain wherein the secretary Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination Amir Ashraf Khawaja and NDMA Chairman Lt-Gen Akhtar Nawaz briefed the PAC on COVID-19. Though the Public Accounts Committee has appreciated the efforts of the NCOC and NDMA over the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly the swift distribution of vaccines and medical kits to the provinces and hospitals yet the PPP members of the committee were not satisfied with the extent of their replies to their questions asked by them with particular questions with regard to opening of Kartarpur Corridor during the pandemic.

When contacted, PML-N member of the PAC Senator Mushahid Hussain expressed his satisfaction over the briefing and role of the NCOC and NDMA during the pandemic, saying the committee was satisfied with the performance of the NCOC and NDMA with regard to handling the COVID-19.

According to sources, who were privy to in-camera meeting of the PAC, Senator Sherry Rehman asked the question why were no quarantine centres in Punjab at a time when borders of Kartarpur Corridor was not closed.

Sources said the officials only restricted themselves with saying that the establishment of quarantine centres was the responsibility of the provincial governments. Sources said Sherry was not satisfied with the answers to her question and remarked that the international borders come under the responsibility of the federal government. PPP members also asked the question that why the flights were allowed from everywhere due to which Delta variant was spreading in the country.

Sources said, replying to the question of Sherry, the officials of the Ministry of Health Services and NDMA gave a reply in an affirmative, saying that it may be one of the reasons of spreading of Delta variant in the country. When contacted, PAC member Syed Naveed Qamar said he was not satisfied with the briefing.