Karachi                     -                 Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) Vice President and parliamentary leader in Sindh Assembly Haleem Adil Sheikh on Tuesday said that with the unity and courage of nation we would defeat the coronavirus.

Addressing a press conference in the committee room of Sindh Assembly here, Haleem Adil, opposition leader Firdous Shamim Naqvi, central leader Ashraf Qureshi, PTI Karachi Division president Khuram Sherzaman, MPA Dua Bhutto, Saeed Afridi, Arslan Ghuman, Malik Shehzad Awaz and Hunaid Lakhani said the PTI MNAs and MPAs were with the people of Pakistan. They said governments could not fight the natural calamities but the nations through their unity and courage faced and defeated them.

Haleem Adil said the virus also spreads through mobile phones and people should disinfect screens of their mobile phones with alcohol. He said after the 18th amendment, health sector was the responsibility of provincial governments, but the federal government was playing its due role and extending all-out help to the provinces. He also requested the media to give awareness about this disease to the nation.

Haleem Adil said it was claimed that proper screening was not being held at the Karachi airport. He said “we visited the airport and saw that thermal scanners were installed and were properly working.” He said representatives of provincial government were also present at the airport and any suspected patient would be handed over to them.

Haleem Adil said that the federal government had given 1540 kits to Sindh, 292 kits to Aga Khan Hospital, 240 kits to Civil Hospital Karachi, and 96 to Dow Medical College Hospital, and more than 480 to Gambat Institute of Medical Sciences. He said NDMA chairman had already asked the Chief Minister that they would cater all needs of the province. He said Balochistan government had funds but it mishandled the issue. He said the federal government had already offered to set up quarantine centers. He said he had managed communication between NDMA chairman and provincial minister Nasir Shah, and Murtaza Wahab.

He said the federal government was ensuring proper stock of edibles and daily use items. Previous day the Utility Store of Gulshan e Iqbal sold goods worth Rs8 million in one day. He said Pakistan Baitul Mal was also there to help the needy persons. He said the poor people and daily wagers were being affected due to spread of this disease.

Haleem Adil said there was capacity of 2200 people at Tafitan and people were kept in Pakistan House. He stated arrangements at Sukkur were good and he praised Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah for his efforts. He told, our parliamentarians were onboard and the federal government would provide all-out assistance. The PTI in this difficult situation bravely stood shoulder by shoulder with the people of Pakistan he added.

Opposition leader in Sindh assembly Firdous Shamim Naqvi said they were facing the situation bravely as a nation. He said the whole world was affected with this virus. He further said they had to learn from the experience of other countries. He stated, hoarding and black marketing of goods was condemnable. He told that they were ready to assist the Sindh government in every respect. People as a precautionary measure should avoid shaking hands. They had also to take care of economic needs of poor people, especially daily wage workers, he added.

Hunaid Lakhani said many countries had already begun online teaching of their students. He said such applications and technologies were also present in Pakistan. He further said Pakistan Baitul Mal would provide ration to the coronavirus-affected families. Govt would take a full care of these people. He said the federal government was keen to facilitate the provincial governments and provided them better facilities.

Separately, Haleem Adil Sheikh also visited the Utility Store of Gulshan e Iqbal and reviewed packages being offered to people. He also visited the Karachi airport and reviewed precautionary screening measures there and showed satisfaction on them. He said all federal government departments were fully alive and active and playing their due role. He said it was not true that passengers were let go from the airport without checking. All passengers were being properly checked through thermal screening.