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PM Imran Khan rules out complete lockdown during second wave of Covid-19

Islamabad - Says his government will instead impose restrictions on non-essential sectors to protect masses

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday ruled out complete lockdown amid rising cases of coronavirus in the country as the authorities were grappling with the second wave of Covid-19.

Addressing the Country Strategy Dialogue (CSD) on Pakistan organised by the World Economic Forum (WEF), the prime minister said the government would only shut the non-essential sectors, including public gatherings, to protect the poor as well as country’s economy from severe consequences.

“With the high level of poverty and the lessons learnt from the first wave of Covid-19, we cannot afford the lockdown of businesses and factories where people are employed,” he said.

The prime minister spoke on various subjects, including how the country tackled the first wave of Covid-19 by employing effective measures and saved the people from its economic fallout, strategy to counter the second wave of coronavirus, government’s policies for revival of economy, and economic opportunities being created by China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

He said the government adopted the strategy of smart lockdown in virus hotspots and opened the construction sector once the situation improved to save the poor and daily-wage earners from hunger.

The prime minister also mentioned distribution of cash assistance among 15 million poor people, including those rendered jobless due to the lockdown.

As regards China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Khan said it was not restricted to China or the connectivity issue, it was also for the establishment of power generation projects to fuel Pakistan’s economic and industrial growth.

The second phase of CPEC, he said, focused on the establishment of special economic zones (SEZs) in Pakistan.

The prime minister said the development of a modern railway track from Peshawar to Karachi and other projects under CPEC would help boost the country’s connectivity with the region, including Afghanistan, Iran, Uzbekistan and China.

He said the government tackled economic challenges like fiscal deficit, current account deficit, trade deficit, by cutting down its expenditures and reducing import bill, enhancing exports, attracting foreign direct investment and checking money laundering.