Shahid Khaqan Abbasi  SAYS ‘smart lockdown’,  the government has no strategy to deal with coronavirus

PML-N Shahid Khakan Abbasi-addressing
PML-N Shahid Khakan  Abbasi addressing

 The former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi hit out at the government and its “smart lockdown”, saying the Centre had no concrete plan to deal with the coronavirus.

“The PM had said he would not enforce a lockdown in the country because the poor and daily wagers would suffer as a result of it. He then said that the lockdown had been enforced by the elite. Who are these elite,” Abbasi asked, addressing the floor of the House
The day the prime minister Imran Khan said he would not enforce a lockdown, there was a curfew in front of his own house,” he said.

Abbasi continued, “Then a new word ‘smart lockdown was introduced. Where is the federal government’s decision about the lockdown? It was the provinces' decision to impose lockdowns.”.
.The PML-(N) leader added that the public wants to know if there is a lockdown in the country or not. “The public needs to know the government’s strategy. Just today the government warned again that if the public does not follow safety precautions, the lockdown will be enforced once again in the country”
Abbasi said, “Today a fourth minister from the government came and addressed the House, but did not speak about their action at all. If this House is to run, the opposition needs to speak first and the government shall answer then. We all need to know  what has the government planned when it comes to dealing with the pandemic.”
Abbasi said,  There is no need to be afraid of criticism,” adding that the prime minister had addressed the nation 12 times but no strategy had been presented.

“In every address, the prime minister said there would be no lockdown in the country, then he says there will be an ease in the lockdown. It seems like the prime minister and the ministers say one thing, but there is something completely different happening in the country,” Abbasi remarked.
“If the federal cabinet did not decide on the lockdown, from where did the smart lockdown come,” he wondered.

The former prime minister added that government websites were full of pictures of ministers but there was nothing about how they planned to deal with the COVID pandemic.

“There is no plan and no lockdown in Pakistan. We have become a fool in the world, everyone is laughing at the House because of this,” he added. Speaking about the country’s testing capacity, Abbasi said there was no protocol when it came to conducting tests in the country. “The ministers have two to three tests done. Those who need to have their  tests  done, they haven’t even had one done,”

The PML(N) leader more says that the cabinet decided that they will not give PPEs to the provinces. “Price of the face masks was increased and commission is being taken for the ventilators. What we need to know is how many masks are there and where have they been sent.”
Turning towards the prime minister of Pakistan, Abbasi said PM Imran Khan had said that by the end of May there would more deaths from the virus. “Looking at the current figures, it seems what the prime minister said might be true.”

The PML(N) leader added that Rs11billion had been allocated for the health sector, however, not even a rupee of that had been spent on that. “We need a national strategy. Instead of blaming previous governments, the official government should tell us what is their awareness strategy, containment strategy, medical response policy, and economic management policy regarding the virus.”
The PML(N) leader also questioned the establishment of the Tiger Force and the reason behind it. “What is the Tiger Force, what does it do, and who is paying for it? Nothing has been told to us about it,” he said
“They have no strategy, nothing at all. I request the government to look at these matters and make a strategy. A special committee of this NA should have been made which should have monitored what was happening in the country. We can talk the entire day, but talking is not the point. I just want to say, if the prime ministers want to talk they need to tell us strategy regarding containment about the pandemic. The strategy should be a unified one, same for the entire country,” he added.