The newly-formed Corona Relief Tiger Force (CRTF) formed by Prime Minister Imran Khan in the battle against the coronavirus is facing serious challenges involving finances and logistics in the wake of no salary and transportation being provided to the volunteers of the force.
Around 100,000 volunteers have registered for the CRTF through the Pakistan Citizen's Portal, in line with the prime minister's strategy to involve youth in the battle against the coronavirus.
The registration for the CRTF started on March 31 and continued till April 15.
The CRTF will work in coordination with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the district administrations.
The force would be tasked to deliver relief goods directly at the doorstep of the deserving people.
Moreover, the CRTF volunteers will also assist the police and local administrations in creating awareness campaigns, quarantine management, implementing lockdown, and would also identify hoarders and those involved in price hike, to be proceeded against by the district administrations concerned.
The CRTF volunteers also include some 17,000 medical professionals, including 1,800 doctors majority of whom will work for the government's digital telehealth initiative, so that they can give advice to patients over the phone.
However, despite all the hype involving the CRTF, the success of this initiative is marked with serious question marks since the federal government has not taken adequate steps to facilitate the CRTF volunteers.
"This whole process is on voluntary basis; the volunteers are joining the CRTF with no salaries, transport and facilities being offered by the government - not even to meet the expenses they would make during their duties at the CRTF," said a senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmaker, requesting anonymity.
"It is understandable that the rationale behind the creation of CRTF is to cut down on expenses, and serve the deserving public but for how long will the volunteers continue to work absolutely for free? These people also have to take care of themselves and support their families. Expecting the CRTF to continue working for free is not a very feasible idea, in my opinion," the source said, adding that the CRTF members would need logistics support transport, food and other facilities to discharge their duties, not being offered by the government.
A government official involved with the CRTF functioning said, the district administrations will train the CRTF volunteers on how to take care of themselves, while undertaking their duties, adding the volunteers who will be sent to quarantine centres will be provided protective kits as per requirement.
He, however, confirmed that there is no plan on the cards to offer any financial incentive to the CRTF volunteers.
Earlier on Monday, Prime Minister Imran Khan elaborated on responsibilities of the CRTF, saying that the force would serve to strike a balance between saving people from the coronavirus and saving them from hunger and unemployment.
"This tiger force was formed to meet the challenges presented by this lethal pandemic. The entire world is being forced to take steps that have not been taken in the past 100 years," he said.
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