Pakistani Minister Asad Umer warns of difficult times coming ahead
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Islamabad: Giving warning of difficult times ahead due to the coronavirus pandemic, Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar said that the coming weeks can test the health system of Pakistan.
Addressing media at Coronavirus Command and Control Center, the minister said that the government was making efforts to improve capacity of hospitals, ventilators and testing, besides focusing on ICU beds preparation and quarantine facilities to deal with the emerging situation.
His remarks came amid sharply increasing number of infections in the country. The total cases in Pakistan have swelled to around 3,000 while 45 people have died due to the new virus.
The Federal minister said that lockdown has proved effective as it slowed the speed of the coronavirus spread, adding that the disease would have affected people massively if there had not been imposed a lockdown.
He also thanked people for cooperating with the government by following the lockdown strategy, adding that the restrictions no doubt caused financial losses to the people. It is affecting the daily wagers especially shopkeeper and vendors, but if continued, it would also engulf middle class of the country.
He added that the government needed to devise a strategy in future that would not lead to the suspension of business activities.
