LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Higher Education and Information Technology Raja Yasir Humayun on Wednesday said that collective efforts are required to tackle the issue of second wave of Covid-19.

He was speaking at the launching ceremony of Annual Report of Burki Institute of Public Policy at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Vice Chancellor of Government College University Dr Asghar Zaidi and Vice Chancellor University of Lahore Maj-Gen Obaid Bin Zikiriya (retd) also spoke on the occasion, while Chairman of Burki Institute of Public Policy Shahid Javed Burki took part in the event through video link.

The minister said that collective efforts and decisions are a must to face the challenges posed by Covid-19. He further said that promotion of industry-academia linkages is a key to resolving social problems and uplifting the country’s economy. He said that academia must come forward and play its due role.

Raja Yasir Humayun said that academia is the main advisory body in all developed countries and the research being done at universities is not only being used by the industry but by the government institutions and policy makers as well. Chairman Burki Institute of Public Policy Shahid Javaid Barki said that the report provides an overview of the economic situation. This year’s annual report is about the state of economy in the context of Corona virus and its impact on the world and Pakistan.

LCCI President Mian Tariq Misbah said Pakistan is facing stiff economic challenges including high Inflation of around 9 percent, 30 percent devaluation in the last two years, fiscal deficit of 8.1 percent, continued stagnation in exports, negative growth rate of industry, and shrinking of GDP growth from 1.9 percent to negative 0.4 percent. These challenges have been made more severe due to the outbreak of Corona pandemic while the second wave is still posing dangers.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020