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World Economic Forum to mark Pakistan's 'massive' Covid-19 'success' on Wednesday: Report

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Islamabad, Pakistan - Faisal Javed Khan, a senator from PM Imran Khan’s ruling party, revealed the news on Twitter.

Published: Tue 24 Nov 2020, 9:07 PM

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The World Economic Forum (WEF) has reportedly announced that Wednesday, November 25 will be 'Pakistan Strategy Day' in recognition of the country's 'successful policies against Covid-19', with Prime Minister Imran Khan the chief guest at the event.

Faisal Javed Khan, a senator from Khan’s ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, revealed the news on Twitter on Tuesday.

“In a move to acknowledge PM [prime minister] Imran Khan's successful policies against Covid19, World Economic Forum @wef has announced to celebrate #PakistanStrategyDay’ on November 25,” Faisal Javed Khan, a senator from Khan’s ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party said on Twitter. “This is yet another endorsement of Pak's brilliant strategy of handling both Corona & Economy. Massive success.”

“Pakistan's strategy and success will be showcased as a case study to the world,” the senator added. “PM @ImranKhanPTI will be the Chief Guest at the #PakistanStrategyDay … Other intl forums had also stressed upon the fact that the world must learn from Pak.”

According to Profit by Pakistan Today, leading investors, industrialists and businessmen from around the world will also attend the virtual WEF event.

“The WEF president will conduct a live interview with Imran Khan at 9:00 PST where PM will brief on his strategies in terms of curbing coronavirus pandemic,” a government spokesperson told the publication. “The PM will also shed light on Rs12 billion corona relief package, including incentives for construction industry, besides answering queries from global investors and chief executives.”

Apart from the PM, the WEF has reportedly also invited some Pakistani ministers to attend separate sessions via video link on ‘Pakistan Strategy Day’.

According to Profit by Pakistan Today, adviser to the PM on finance, Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, will speak on economic relief packages; planning and development Minister, Asad Umar, will brief the forum on the success of National Command and Operations Center (NCOC); whereas special assistant to the PM on climate change, Malik Amin Aslam, will discuss ways to promote ‘green economy’.

Moreover, industries & production minister, Hammad Azhar will talk about relief in industrial package; energy minister, Omar Ayub, will discuss alternative energy policy; while SAPM Sania Nishtar will shed light on the government’s ‘Ehsas Emergency Cash Programme’.

In September, as Arab News noted on Tuesday, World Health Organisation (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus had also hailed Pakistan for successfully dealing with Covid-19, saying Pakistan had reinforced the lesson that saving the economy and fighting the virus could go “hand-in-hand.”

Following lockdowns in March, a steady decrease in Covid-19 cases since June led to Pakistan reopening wedding halls and universities and schools in September.

“Community health workers who have been trained to go door-to-door vaccinating children against polio have been redeployed and utilised for surveillance, contact tracing and care,” Ghebreyesus said in an op-ed in The Independent. “This has suppressed the virus so that, as the country stabilises, the economy is also now picking up once again. Reinforcing the lesson that the choice is not between controlling the virus or saving the economy; the two go hand-in-hand.”

However, Pakistan's Covid-19 cases have spiked recently as a second wave of the virus sweeps across the country.

On Tuesday, Pakistan recorded its highest single-day spike in Covid-19 cases since July 8, with 2,954 new cases and 48 deaths reported in the last 24 hours, according to a government portal.

With 48 new deaths in the last 24 hours, the country’s coronavirus death toll has reached 7,744, with total cases amounting to 379,883.

So far, a total of 331,760 people have recovered from the virus, while the active number of cases stands at 40,379.

Pakistan on Monday, November 16 banned public political rallies after recording its highest daily coronavirus infections since July for four days running.

Several huge religious and anti-government public rallies have been held in major cities in recent weeks.

Prime Minister Imran Khan announced the ban, fearing hospitals will be overwhelmed as they were in June if people do not act responsibly.



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