ISLAMABAD, Mar 19 (APP):Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan on Thursday advised the people not to panic as sufficient stock of food commodities was available in the country to meet their needs amid the spread of coronavirus.
“Being an agriculture economy, we are self-sufficient in food products. By the grace of Allah, we don’t face any food shortage as all basic food commodities are available in sufficient quantity,” she said talking to the media along with Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on National Health Services Dr Zafar Mirza and Inter-Services Public Relations Director General Major General Babar Iftikhar.
She said some elements were trying to take advantage of the current situation by creating an artificial shortage, by hoarding and profiteering.She advised the people to take care of others while purchasing daily use items and avoid unnecessary restocking.
She said Prime Minister Imran khan had directed the provincial governments to identify the hoarders and profiteers, and take strict action against them.
She appreciated the provincial governments for their efforts to control the coronavirus with assistance of the Federal Government. No negligence had been identified anywhere in the country regarding the handling and treatment of COVID-19 patients nor it would be tolerated.
The SAPM said Prime Minister Imran Khan visited the quarantine center set up for the pilgrims in Dera Ghazi Khan on Wednesday and inspected the facilities being provided to them. He listened to the problems of pilgrims and directed the administration for their solution, he added.
The visit, he said, had clearly conveyed a message that the country’s top leadership and all stakeholders were united to fight the deadly coronavirus. The prime minister was personally monitoring the whole situation, she added.
Dr Firdous said the prime minister’s address to the nation had given courage and confidence to the people to fight the disease as he advised them to take all precautionary measures against the coronavirus, which must be followed.
She said as the coronavirus had badly affected the world economy, the prime minister constituted an economic committee under Finance Adviser Abdul Hafeez Shaikh to look into the Covid-19’s impacts on the national economy.
She said the government was devising an action plan to protect the daily wage workers and poor people from the negative financial effects of the pandemic. Moreover, it was also mulling over the strategy to address the repercussions on the country’s exports and remittances, and any possible slowdown of the economy.
The SAPM said the government was considering a Financial Stimulus Package to provide financial assistance to the daily wagers and medical facilities to the poor people lacking Sehat Insaf Card in case they were infected by the coronavirus.
The finance committee would resent a report to the prime minister suggesting measures to support the labour class and daily wagers, she added.
VNS, Islamabad
