The opposition reacted to Prime Minister Imran Khan’s address to the nation and said “he has no plan on how to steer away the nation from deadly coronavirus”.
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) urged the government to do something practical in the situation instead of asking people to take their own measures to prevent spread of the deadly virus.
PML-N Information Secretary Marriyum Aurangzeb said in a statement: “Mr prime minister, it is not the time for words but actions.”
She said it was not the time to put the whole nation in “confusion and uncertainty” but to make sagacious decisions. “Mr prime minister, you have to think beyond yourself,” she added.
Ms Marriyum said the PM’s address to the nation was evident of the fact that he had no understanding about the gravity of the situation and therefore the government had so far failed to present any plan to rid the nation of Covid-19.
PML-N, PPP say PM has no plan on how to steer away the nation from coronavirus
“Telling the nation about the difference between curfew and lockdown will not serve the purpose as the government should make necessary arrangements prior to lock down the whole country. Khan Sahib, prepare yourself and the nation for a difficult time ahead,” she added.
The PML-N secretary information said the prime minister could not absolve himself from his responsibility by putting all responsibilities on the nation. “Imran Sahib, you are the prime minister, think about your responsibilities,” she said.
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s spokesman Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar said even in the present trying times Imran Khan had continued to disappoint the nation.
He said that whether the issue of Taliban was concerned or the coronavirus, Imran Khan had always tried to divide the nation. “In contrast the PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari gave a message of unity to the nation while Prime Minister Imran Khan displayed a negative attitude,” he added.
Mr Khokhar said: “We should learn lessons from China and other countries. We will have to protect the lives of the people.”
He said the prime minister was hiding behind the poor whereas in the past 18 months of his government he had made poor people’s life a hell. “We cannot push people to death in the garb of saving employment. Why is the prime minister shying away from spending on the people of Pakistan,” he asked.
The PPP leader asked that if the resources were not spent on the poor people of Pakistan in this situation then when would the money be spent on the poor people.
He said the opposition had much to say against the government and the prime minister but it was abstaining itself from doing so due to the prevailing situation.
Wondering and showing helplessness to understand the logic behind Prime Minister Imran Khan’s decision of not ordering a countrywide lockdown in the wake of the growing threat of the novel coronavirus, Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Sunday took it up on his own to build a national consensus for “the much-needed move before it turns into a catastrophe”.
Talking to reporters from Bilawal House over digital platforms as a precautionary measure to void a direct contact with them, the PPP chairman sounded firm on his earlier “no criticism policy” against PM Khan and his government, but couldn’t resist when asked about his assessment about the federal government’s decision against a countrywide lockdown.
Mr Bhutto-Zardari was accompanied by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah. He received questions from the reporters over the designated digital media platforms.
“This question can better be replied by the prime minister,” he replied to a query by one of the reporters.
He said: “But as I have heard him [PM], he has given couple of reasons. He argued that the lockdown would greatly affect poor people, daily wagers. That logic doesn’t make sense. If we are a poor country, we need to lockdown more quickly. Otherwise, it would be more affected. I still call for making tough decisions and that they should be made quickly before it turns into a catastrophe”.
He termed the situation a national challenge, saying that beyond political and ideological differences every individual had to play his/her role in this fight and deal with the fast-approaching situation. At the same time, he took a jibe over the “PM’s approach” when he mentioned poor class as the main reason he was caring for while denying a lockdown.
“I wonder why our PM has become so much concerned about the poor people, for whom he never cared while approving the budget and finalising the deal with the IMF (International Monetary Fund),” said the PPP chairman.
“If we really care about the poor, we need to move faster because the poor is more threatened… because they live in most unhygienic conditions. I heard him [PM] saying we are not facing the situation like Italy is facing to impose a lockdown. But, I fear, by delaying all tough decisions today, we could be facing the Italy-like situation tomorrow.”
Answering a question, he said the Sindh government was making arrangements to keep normal life operation smooth with least hardship.
While showing least hope on the federal government, the PPP chairman announced his own campaign to build a national consensus on the fight against coronavirus.
