ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Imran Khan Tuesday announced around Rs 1,000billion huge relief package aimed at providing financial support to thedifferent sectors of economy affected by the economic slowdown unleashed bythe coronavirus (COVID-19) all over the globe.
During an interaction with media persons, the prime minister said thegovernment had decided to allocate Rs 200 billion for the labour class,which had been hit hard in the difficult times.
To help the industrial sector and especially the export sector, it wasdecided to release tax refunds amounting to Rs100 billion, besidesdeferring of the interest payment to bolster the sector, he added.
For the small and medium industry, and agriculture sector, another amountof Rs 100 billion was set aside with deferred interest payment, the primeminister said, adding concessional loans would also being extended to thesectors. The government wanted to bring down the input costs for thefarmers.
Other packages, he said, included additional amount of Rs 50 billion forthe Utility Stores, Rs 280 billion for the wheat procurement, and slashingof petrol and diesel prices by Rs15 per liter for which the governmentwould have to bear the burden of Rs75 billion. An amount of Rs100 billionwas allocated separately for the emergency situation, he added.
The prime minister said power consumers using 300 units and gas users withRs 2,000 monthly bills would be facilitated to deposit their bills throughthree monthly installments. A sum of Rs 50 billion was also allocated forthe medical staff. The National Disaster Management Authority would get Rs25 billion for purchase and procuring of kits, he announced.
Imran Khan said for the vulnerable families who were bearing the brunt ofthe difficult time, it was decided to allocate an amount of Rs 150 billionfor a period of four months.
He said they were also expanding the network of Panagah (shelter homes)where the precautionary measures had been strictly practiced.
Besides, he said, it was decided to either completely cut taxes or reducethem on different edible items. For the construction industry, thegovernment would announce a separate package within days, which, hepromised, had never been witnessed in the country’s history.
Reiterating that the country could not afford a complete lockdown with theimposition of curfew, the prime minister said the situation in the countryso far did not warrant for resorting to that last step.
However, he added, the government would review the situation after a coupleof weeks. The provincial governments after the 18th ConstitutionalAmendment could take their decisions while the role of the FederalGovernment was only that of an advisory, he replied to a query.
The Federal Government, he said, could only give guidelines but could notdirect the provinces against their decisions. The provincial governmentscould react to a situation, but should also give consideration to theevolving situation. “God forbids, nobody knows the evolving situation,which might also compel us for the imposition of curfew after two weeks,”he added.
Advisor to the PM on Finance Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, Minister for FoodSecurity Khusru Bakhtiar, Advisor to the PM on Health Dr Zafar Mirza,Special Assistant to the PM on Information and Broadcasting Dr FirdousAshiq Awan, and NDMA Chairman Lieutenant General Muhammad Afzal were alsopresent on the occasion.
Comparing the situation in Spain, Italy, France and other Europeancountries, the prime minister said with about 900 cases in Pakistan, thegovernment team had been taking cognizance of the evolving situationregularly.
Enforcing a curfew would lead to complete halting of transport, which couldbadly affect the food and medical supplies. Such steps could have strongdamaging affects upon the society and economy, especially on thedowntrodden or the poor class, who had been living in clusters in theKatchi Abadis.
The prime minister while differentiating between the lockdown and curfew,also shared his concerns that the evolving situation of the COVID-19outbreak could stretch over to six months.
“Whatever decisions the government take, I am fully responsible for them.All the economic decisions are being taken with consensus of my economicteam,” he added.
To another question, he regretted that the economic situation had beenimproving in the country as the macroeconomic indicators witnessed rising,but the COVID-19 outbreak cast unintended consequences upon the economy.The year 2019 had been the most difficult time of his life, he added.
The prime minister, to a question, replied that in case of emergency, thecountry would require a volunteer force comprising the youth, besidescreation of funds. The youth and overseas Pakistanis would be tapped insuch like scenario.
Dilating upon the issue of complete lockdown, he further regretted that aconfusion and impression had been created in the country. Taking wrongdecisions at the current critical stage were more dangerous than the spreadof coronavirus, he warned.
The prime minister said the government was extra cautious in taking certainsteps, which should benefit the country and the nation. During the firstNational Security Committee meeting, when the country had reported just 21cases, the gradual lockdown started with the closure of the schools,besides stoppage of public gatherings.
In the past, decisions were taken for the interests of selected elite classand there were different systems for different classes, he said andregretted that the same response was being also witnessed in the countryover the coronavirus.
The prime minister said it was a collective fight of the humanity and asingle government could not fight it alone. The public response to thegovernment’s measures like those witnessed in China was vital for achievingthe objectives, he stressed and urged the nation to fully cooperate withthe government’s calls to control the spread of pathogen.
To a question about holding of religious congregations in the countrydespite a ban, Imran Khan said the government had mobilized the Ulema, whowere guiding the people to avoid mass gatherings and follow the governmentand health ministry’s precautionary measures. A volunteers force would alsobe formed to assist and guide the people in that regard.
About short-term lockdown of the country, the prime minister again rejectedthe idea, saying a debate had been started even in the United States aboutthe lockdown of cities as some of the people were of the view that it wouldhurt the national economy.
He, however, reiterated: “We as a nation will counter the pandemic withunity, rest assure the government is fully concentrating on the economy andfood security, and trying its level best to face the endemic.” It was thegovernment’s job to create easiness for its people, he added.
He said when the pandemic spread there were only 1,500 ventilators in thepublic sector but now their number had increased to 2,200.
To another question, the prime minister said he fully believed in freedomof the press, but accuracy and objectivity should be the hallmarks ofjournalists. The role of the media was to counter panic in the society asit was more dangerous than the coronavirus.
He assured the anchorpersons that the nation had the resilience to countersuch kind of crisis, citing the examples of 2005 earthquake and 2010 flood.The government would provide all details to the media about the situationand take them into confidence.
The prime minister said efforts were being made to stock the hospitals withbasic medical equipment. He urged the people to become disciplined andavoid social gatherings so that there would be no need for them to go tohospitals.
Advisor to the Prime Minister on Finance Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh saiddespite facing a number of challenges on the economic front due to aninherited fragile economy, Prime Minister Imran Khan had announced Rs 1,000billion package to counter the spread of coronavirus and to support themost vulnerable sections of the society, who had been the worst hit by thepandemic.
NDMA Chairman Lt Gen Muhammad Afzal said the Chinese government was fullyhelping Pakistan in supply of various medical equipment and gadgets. Therewas a plan to acquire 10,000 additional ventilators over the next fewmonths in order to cope with any health crisis, such as the Covid-19pandemic.
He revealed that there were around 2,200 ventilators across Pakistan at themoment and around half of them would be available if needed for theCOVID-19 patients, he added.
He said the import of medical equipment, 100,000 masks and 50,000 N- 95 fordoctors and other things would be started form tomorrow. Some 50,000 testkits would also arrive from China on Wednesday.
He said a direct flight was being operated for Wuhan to collect medicalequipment, including a small number of ventilators. Some 12 tonnes materialwould be brought from Urumqui by Saturday. The border with China would beopened for one day for the supply of medical goods.
Lt Gen Afzal urged the businessmen to place their orders for import ofmedical equipment from China, which the government would fully accommodate.
Some 25,000 masks were being prepared daily in the Wah Cantonment while allthe masks manufacturing companies had been asked to prepare the masks andthe government would fully compensate them in their business.He said the NDMA already had $80 million funds while it would soon another$800 million.
Federal Minister for National Food Security Khusro Bkhtiar said Pakistanhad 90 percent of local food. Besides the last year’s strategic wheat stockof 4 million tonnes, the stock capacity for the present year had beenincreased to 8.2 million tonnes.
He said Pakistan produced seven million tonnes rice while its totalconsumption was just 3.5 million tonnes. The country was self-sufficient inpoultry, whose supply chain would be ensured at all costs.
The country had 80,000 tonnes of cooking oil and ghee in stock while theirprice in the international market was on the decline, he added.
Khusro Bakhtiar said Pakistan had two months stock of pulses, while therewas slowdown in their prices in the international market. The governmentwould ensure supply chain of food commodities throughout the country, headded.