Govt in talks to open malls, resume flight operation: Asad Umar
He said there is a spike in cases, but not so much that our health system collapses.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar on Wednesday said that the decisions were being made in the country with consensus and the decisions to open malls and resume flight operation will be made in the coming few days as talks are underway.
Speaking exclusively in Dunya News program, “Dunya Kamran Khan Kay Sath” on Wednesday, he said that Prime Minister Imran Khan had said that the number of coronavirus cases would be seen increasing, adding that there is a spike in cases, but not so much that our health system collapses.
The minister said that we will be forced to reconsider the decision if the cases start to escalate, adding that the possible situation coronavirus is reviewed after every ten days. He said the situation in May is as expected compared to last month s forecast.
“Restrictions have been eased in order to facilitate people for their jobs and businesses but the situation could be worsen the way people have been out of their homes in the last two days,” he said.
To a question, Asad Umar said that there were difficulties in the beginning of Ramazan on the issue of Taraweeh but later there was 70 percent implementation, adding that we cannot baton charge the people but traders have a greater responsibility to implement the SOPs.
The federal minister went on to say that it will take approximately 12 to 18 months to develop a vaccine for the novel coronavirus.
No country in the world is trying to shut down its country completely, he said and added we have learn to live with the pandemic and we have to make sure that our health system does not collapse.
Asad Umar further said such big decisions that are being applied to the whole country cannot be changed every two days, adding that we will be forced to reconsider the decision if the cases start to escalate. “The economic hardships of millions of people cannot be ignored,” he said.
The planning minister said: “The decision to open bigger markets was taken at the last moment and now talks are underway to open malls and it is incomprehensible to keep people s means of transportation closed, adding that the decision will be taken in this regard in coming few days.”
To another question, he said we are making difficult decisions according to the aspirations of the nation with consultation and consensus and it is unrealistic to expect that every decision made in the first place would prove right.
“All the provinces as a whole have cooperated a lot in decision making,” he said and added there wouldn’t be any consensus if everything goes according to my logic.
The federal minister said according to our estimates, 60 percent of the industries are working and we want people to have the freedom to do business and pandemic also doesn’t go out of control. He said the solution is to look at the effects two to four weeks after the decision, and the next decision will be made based on the situation of hospitals and the pandemic.
According to tracking, testing and quarantine, more than 500 locally targeted actions have been taken. It is estimated that the spread in Pakistan is low so the packing phase may take a long time.
