The Upper House of the Parliament on Thursday dismissed as baseless the "propaganda against China from certain quarters, which stems from geopolitical rivalry and is more an attempt to divert attention from their own internal failings as it has no factual basis."
This was the text of the resolution unanimously passed by the Senate during its session presided over by Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, which was requisitioned by the opposition parties to discuss the situation involving the outbreak of coronavirus in Pakistan.
Without naming anyone, the resolution, apparently referred to the allegations levelled by the United States President United States suggesting that China was the architect of coronavirus and he repeatedly termed coronavirus as 'Chinese virus.'
"China's support to Pakistan has helped to combat COVID-19 by protecting our people and saving lives as well as providing our health workers with testing kits, protective gear and ventilators at a time when these were badly needed plus sending medical teams," reads the resolution.
It extended homage to China for its "strong support and timely assistance to Pakistan during the current coronavirus crisis" and expressed its "deep appreciation to the Chinese government and people for their unflinching role as 'all weather friends' of Pakistan."
The resolution says, " The Senate of Pakistan also commends the government and people of China, led by President Xi Jinping, who showed leadership in this crisis through clarity of vision by taking decisive and timely measures to combat the coronavirus effectively in China," according to the resolution.
It terms both Pakistan and China 'Iron Brothers.' "As 'Iron Brothers', both Pakistan and China are collectively confronting this 'common enemy', the coronavirus, which is a threat to humanity, irrespective of country, race or religion."
The Senate, feels that this resolution, just prior to May 21, which marks the 69th Anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China on May 21, 1951, is an auspicious occasion to celebrate the resilience of our time-tested friendship, which is evident from China's consistent support to Pakistan on Kashmir, on CPEC (China Pakistan Economic Corridor) and now on COVID-19, the resolution adds.
Speaking on the floor of the House, Leader of the House in Senate and Information Minister Shibli Faraz said, the situation in Pakistan is much better, in the context of coronavirus outbreak, in comparison with the developed countries where this pandemic has unleashed devastation. "It is by virtue of effective steps and thoughtful strategy of the federal government that the number of deaths and serious cases in Pakistan is much lesser than those countries where thousands of people have died."
Defending the federal government's initiative to relax lockdown restrictions, Faraz said, "We have to save our people from coronavirus and equally important is that we have to save them from unemployment and starvation." He urged the opposition to "cooperate with the government in fighting this pandemic and to protect people's lives instead of indulging in blame game."
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that Indian religious extremist government is targeting Muslims in its country and Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) in the garb of coronavirus.
"The situation is extremely serious in IOK and India. "BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) government has intensified its persecution campaign in the occupied territory under the garb of coronavirus. The occupying Indian forces have started barging into houses and killing the innocent and unarmed Kashmiri people.
Muslims are falsely accused of being responsible for the spread of coronavirus in India and a hate mongering campaign has ignited against Muslims in India." Pakistan is actively taking on the brutalities of India at the international diplomatic forums, he said.
Faisal Javed Khan from the ruling party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) said, lockdown is not an option in the "countries like Pakistan where a large number of people live below poverty line."
Advisor to the Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan said, PM's preference is the ease of poor people, which, he said, is why the government's decision is to never go for complete lockdown.
The opposition senators including Mushahidullah Khan and Pervaiz Rashid from Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N), Rehman Malik and Rubina Khalid from Pakistan People's Party (PPP), Usman Kakar from Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party (MkMAP), Sirajul Haq from Jamat-e-Islami (JI), Mir Kabir Shahi from National Party (NP) among others strongly criticised the federal government's policies in dealing with coronavirus and called for formulating a collective strategy with the active involvement of the Parliament and political parties to defeat the pandemic. Senate has been prorogued.
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