Leader of the House in Senate, Shibli Faraz Friday dismissed as false the reports suggesting the possibility of outbreak of COVID-19 (coronavirus) in Pakistan, saying all preparatory arrangements have been put in place to deal with any situation.
"It's all because of the effective measures the government has taken, to prevent the outbreak of coronavirus, that only two cases of this virus have surfaced in Pakistan," he said, speaking at the floor of the house during Senate session.
He denied the reports that both the coronavirus patients were in critical condition, saying the condition of the two patients was stable and they were out of danger. The establishment of isolation wards at the hospitals, setting up screening systems, and special desks at the airports were among the measures taken by the government to deal with coronavirus.
"A lot is being done to prevent the spread of this virus in Pakistan," Faraz said. He claimed that government medical facilities, the National Institute of Health (NIH) in particular, were fully "capable and equipped" to deal with deadly epidemics such as coronavirus.
Faraz was speaking at a point of order raised by Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Parliamentary Leader Sherry Rehman regarding coronavirus. Taking the floor, Rehman termed the coronavirus a "challenge to the world."
She said, "If effective preventive measures are not taken in time, such deadly epidemics can cause large-scale destruction. It's high time to fight the deadly viruses like coronavirus." Criticising the government, Rehman said, "Contrary to the government's tall claims, now that the coronavirus has entered Pakistan and two cases have been reported, the government should not have sat like a silent spectator, and it should have given a briefing to take the nation into confidence.
Enough disinformation and chaos have been spread regarding coronavirus and adding insult to injury, the government is in deep slumber. There is no move at the government level to end this atmosphere of chaos and uncertainty."
The PPP's parliamentary leader said, "This forum should have been used to impart vital information about coronavirus epidemic and its current status in the country without causing panic. Our job is to protect the citizens but where are we on that front?"
She also proposed that the house allocate a specific day of its session to debate the situation in the Indian occupied Kashmir (IoK). Having started Friday, the ongoing 296th session of the Senate has been summoned on a requisition moved by the joint opposition.
The session has six-point agenda to discuss: the legality and constitutionality of ordinances that have been laid in the National Assembly and not in the Senate; security and political developments in the region, especially in the IoK; continuing political victimization of the opposition; gas and power scarcity in the domestic and industrial sectors; the price hike resulting in unbearable burden on the common man, and the devastating daily occurrences of crimes against children in Pakistan.
Leader of the Opposition in Senate Raja Zafarul Haq and other senators including Nuzhat Sadiq, Pervaiz Rasheed, Dr Sikandar Mandhro, Shamim Afridi, Shaheen Khalid Butt, Anwar Lal Dean, Gianchand, Keshoo Bai, Abida Muhammad Azeem, Mir Muhammad Yousaf Badini, Syed Muhammad Ali Shah Jamot, Javed Abbasi, Tahir Bizenjo, Sardar Yaqoob Khan Nasar, Rehman Malik, Rukhsana Zuberi, Sassui Palijo, Raza Rabbani, Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, Muhammad Akram, Lieutenant General (retired) Abdul Qayyum, Bahramand Tangi, Rubina Khalid, Dr Asad Ashraf, Ayesha Raza Farooq, Ghous Muhammad Khan Niazi, Dilawar Khan, Najma Hameed, Dr Ashok Kumar, Saleem Zia, Usman Khan Kakar, Mir Kabeer Shahi, Sherry Rehman, and Mushahidullah Khan moved the requisition. The Senate would meet again on Monday.
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