By: Muhammad Ismail Bhatti
Prime Minister Imran Khan spoke to the media in Lahore on Wednesday, addressed the World Economic Forum via video link and spoke to Punjab Chief Minister Usman Bazdar on a number of issues, including the new wave of the global Corona epidemic. Challenges are of particular importance, including the Pak-China Economic Corridor (C-Pac), Foreign Strategy, and plans to save Lahore and Karachi from serious problems arising from overcrowding (Ravi River Development Project and Bundle Island). Topics included. Although there have been reports of vaccines being developed in many places around the world to prevent the new powerful and dangerous wave of corona, the antidote still needs time to come to fruition. That’s why the whole of the UK has been locked down, precautionary measures are being taken in many parts of the world, including Europe, while in some places the third and fourth corona attacks with intermittent intervals, on the one hand killing human lives. On the other hand, the global economy is also being badly affected. That is why special emphasis is being laid everywhere on Corona prevention measures. US President-elect Joe Biden has also made it one of his top priorities. The gravity of the issue for Pakistan is compounded by the fact that it does not have the financial resources like the United States and other developed countries to handle the burden of a complete lockdown, including business shutdowns, nor the facilities to accommodate the number of patients. Can be used in case of unusual additions. Therefore, Prime Minister Imran Khan has appealed to the nation to take the same precautionary measures as during the first wave of Corona. Corona cases and deaths are on the rise, and we cannot afford to shut down factories and businesses like in Europe and other countries and risk starvation. Avoidance of crowds and social distance are of paramount importance in Corona prevention measures and the individual examples set by many important personalities in the past by adopting social isolation should also be inculcated in the general public. The positive assurances given by the Prime Minister to the daily wage workers to save them from unemployment and financial hardship should be responded to in the same positive manner. However, the government also has a responsibility to keep practical facts in mind when setting hours for opening shops and business centers. Referring to the growing problems in the context of the spread of Lahore and Karachi, the Prime Minister clarified that the Ravi River and Bundle Island projects are aimed at saving these cities. Regarding the success of foreign policy, he said that Pakistan has never been more acceptable in the world than it is today. In a video link address to the World Economic Forum, the Prime Minister termed C-Pac as a plan to enhance ties between the countries and said that in the second phase, attention was being paid to the establishment of economic zones and upgrading of railways. He said that Pakistan’s economy was stable and moving in the right direction. The focus is on improving agricultural development and governance. Of course, the significance of all this is certain, but it would be good if the dialogue efforts between the government and the opposition were fruitful in tackling internal and external challenges, including the new wave of Corona. The government can take the initiative in this regard, avoiding the impression of “NRO”. In this way, more precision can be brought on important issues, including parliamentary proceedings.