Imran hopes Pak would overcome COVID-19 threat on its own as cases rise to nearly 2,400

 Prime Minister Imran Khan Thursday hoped that Pakistan would overcome the COVID-19 threat on its own if its spread was contained, as the number of cases in the country showed an upward trend despite efforts to contain the disease that has infected nearly 2,400 people.

"The trajectory of coronavirus in Pakistan is not like that has been witnessed in other countries. I am confident Pakistan will able to overcome this problem,” Khan said while addressing a ceremony in connection with the distribution of Rs 100 billion rupees tax refunds amongst the businessmen.

Khan said that his government has decided to open up the construction industry and give it the necessary incentives in order to provide job opportunities to the people. He said the commerce ministry has also framed a list of industries which can be opened in the current situation. Meanwhile, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Pakistan rose to 2,378. Punjab province was emerging as the epicentre of the outbreak with 922 confirmed coronavirus cases followed by Sindh with 761. So far 32 people have died and 107 recovered. Nine patients are in critical condition. Authorities have placed the entire city of Raiwind under quarantine and completely restricted the mobility of people within or outside the city after at least 40 Tablighi Jamaat preachers tested positive, officials said.

Similarly, some 50 members of the Jamaat, including five Nigerian women, suspected to be carriers of coronavirus, are admitted to a quarantine centre in Kasur, some 50 kms from Lahore. In Hyderabad city of Sindh province, 38 coronavirus cases of local transmission among members of the Tablighi Jamaat were reported on Thursday. There are reports that the Sindh and Punjab police have picked some members of the Jamaat from the mosques and its Raiwind Markaz (headquarters of the Pakistani faction of Jamaat) for violating the lockdown. According to the government, the Jamaat went ahead with its annual congregation in Raiwind, Lahore in March against its advice that the gathering might spread the virus.

On Thursday, Khan also chaired a meeting of the National Coordination Committee which reviewed situation in the country, according to a statement by Khan’s office. The Prime Minister said that it was vital that exact data should be gathered and shared with the people. After the meeting, Advisor on Health Dr Zafar Mirza told the media that it was decided to invite ideas from public to deal with different problems and take long term decisions.

Meanwhile, Balochistan Chief Minister Jamal Kamal Khan said that 6,000 to 8,000 pilgrims were still in Iran and the federal government will decide about their return. The Army on Wednesday announced that Commander of Army's Air Defence Command, Lt Gen Hamood Uz Zaman Khan, has been appointed as the convener of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC). The NCOC would act as the implementation arm of the National Core Committee (NCC), the government's lead agency in the anti-COVID-19 campaign, chaired by Prime Minister Khan and represented by all provinces, Gilgit-Baltistian and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

The NCOC, formed to take unanimous decision on all issues related to the coronavirus, has become operational. Pakistan researchers were also making efforts to understand the virus genome and a team led by Dow University of Health Sciences Vice Chancellor Professor Mohammad Saeed Quraishy reported that the genetic make-up of the novel coronavirus may alter in a locally-transmitted case. According to a report in media, the researcher while examining the DNA structure of the virus contracted locally by a young boy observed that the sequencing had slight mutations from the one that originated in Wuhan.

Separately, Minister for Science Fawad Chaudhry said that Pakistan was one of few countries trying to understand the genome sequence and also working on the COVID-19 vaccine. The Pakistan government has also announced a social protection package to provide monetary help to 12 million poor families in the country. Prime Minister Khan's Special Assistant on Poverty Alleviation Sania Nishtar on Wednesday said that the government is making efforts to reach out to the vulnerable and marginalised people during the time of crisis. The government is also working to provide cash to poor families on an emergency basis.

“Emergency cash initiative in response to COVID-19, the largest-ever social protection initiative in the history of Pakistan. 12 million families (72 million individuals) will receive Rs 12,000 each. Total cost Rs 144 Billion (USD 18.8 billion),” she said.