It has been decided to extend the ongoing lock-down in the country; the official announcement in this regard is expected tomorrow, Geo News Channel reported on Monday.
According to the details, Geo News Channel reported that the government, keeping in view a rise in the coronavirus cases, has decided to extend the lock-down. The channel further reported that the National Coordination Committee had decided to treat COVID-19 in the country unanimously taking all the provinces and stakeholders on board.
The decision to extend the lock-down is anticipated after a rise in the number of coronavirus cases all over the country. Several areas in Lahore and Karachi have already been sealed completely after a huge number of people were tested positive for coronavirus there.
Earlier today, Sindh CM Murad Ali Shah in an important meeting with the prime minister requested him that all the decisions should be unanimous and Sindh would definitely follow the decisions made by the federal government.
Commenting on Murad Ali Shah’s talk to the prime minister in a programme of Geo New Channel on Monday, Sindh chief minister’s law and information adviser Murtaza Wahab said that Murad Ali Shah had requested the prime minister to make Sindh a part of the consultations over coronavirus that prime minister had accepted. He also said that Sindh had conveyed its wish to extend the lock-down to the prime minister but it would be the call of the prime minister either he further extends the lock-down or not.
On the other hand, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has again put allegations on the federal government in its dealing with the coronavirus. He said on Monday that the speed of the federal government in the fight against the COVID-19 was very slow.
Prime Minister Imran Khan calls overseas for help
Due to the suspended economic activities here in the country because of the lock-down, Prime Minister Imran Khan has released a video message for the overseas Pakistanis in which he has appealed to the community to donate generously in the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund. He made it clear to the overseas Pakistanis that poverty was increasing in the country due to the coronavirus and generous donations were expected from them.
My appeal to the international community, the UNSG & international financial institutions to respond positively to the dilemma confronting developing countries in the face of the COVID19 pandemic. #Global_Initiative_Debt_Relief pic.twitter.com/EfydRhfZhc
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) April 12, 2020
In the support of Prime Minister’s Relief Fund, former international from England Kevin Pietersen also uploaded a video on Monday in which he urged the overseas Pakistanis to respond to the call of Prime Minister Imran and donate funds to the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund.
PM’s call to the United Nations
Earlier, in another video message on Sunday, Prime Minister Imran Khan asked the United Nations and other global economic institutions to play their role in giving relief to the developing countries in the payment of their debts.
In his message, he said that Pakistan was facing multiple issues due to coronavirus. Other than fighting against COVID-19, the biggest problem we were facing was preventing people from dying of hunger, he added.
Speaking on behalf of the developing world, he appealed to the world economic institutions and secretary-general of the United Nation to launch an initiative immediately to give debt relief to the developing countries.
