Imran orders relief package for Afghan refugees, IDPS
UN agencies yet to help vulnerable Afghans in Pakistan; Rangers told to ensure movement of goods transport; restrictions to remain in place till April 14: Asad; AJK premier’s house now a quarantine centre
Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has directed the authorities to prepare a relief package for the Afghan refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPS) facing hardship due to the coronavirus epidemic.
The directives came during a meeting of the federal cabinet following a request by Minister for States and Frontier Regions (Safron) Shehryar Afridi.
The prime minister gave the directives regarding allocation of funds for the IDPS and refugees from the Rs200 billion earmarked for poor farmers.
Following the meeting, the minister told reporters that around 2.8 million refugees were living in 52 refugee camps across the country, of which 80 per cent were daily wage earners.
As the federal and provincial governments in Pakistan are scrambling to enforce lockdown to halt the spread of novel coronavirus, the UN agencies have yet to reach out to the vulnerable Afghan refugees, especially widows, and make arrangements for their sustenance.
Officials dealing with documented and undocumented Afghans say vulnerable groups, including widows and persons with disabilities, are their major concern as the government has enforced a lockdown across the country to fight the virus.
“Our major worry is Afghan widows, daily-wage workers and persons with disabilities who have also been confined to camps like other citizens,” an official said.
Earlier in the day, Imran has taken a serious notice of suspension of goods transport despite his earlier order for its restoration and tasked Rangers in Sindh with ensuring its implementation through appropriate measures for movement of trucks and opening of industries amid a complete lockdown in the province.
The federal cabinet approved a coronavirus relief package of Rs1,200 billion and okayed issuance of Rs700b Domestic Sukuk Bonds (DSB) for three years to provide some support to the economy being affected by the global coronavirus pandemic and address the issue of liquidity.
“Imran Khan was quite annoyed that the decision taken by the National Coordination Committee (NCC), in which all provinces and mainstream opposition parties have representation, was not implemented in letter and spirit by the Sindh government by not easing the movement of goods transport from Karachi,” his Special Assistant on Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan told reporters.
She said the NCC had decided that all the four provinces and the governments of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-baltistan would ensure the movement of goods transport to ensure adequate supply of essential food items, but Sindh had so far not adhered to the decision.
“The prime minister observed that as a result of lack of goods transport, shortages of some basic food items, including wheat flour, have been reported in many parts of the country which also caused a sharp increase in prices of kitchen items,” she added.
“If relevant industries are still closed due to lockdown in Sindh and if there are no labourers and loaders at Karachi Port, the movement of goods transport will remain suspended. Therefore, the prime minister has tasked Rangers with removing all hurdles in the way of goods transport,” Dr Awan said.
Separately, Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar said the prime minister has called a meeting of the NCC to again ask the provincial governments to implement the decision about restoration of goods transport and opening of industries which were closed due to the countrywide lockdown.
Asad Umar also said that the existing restrictions put in place to control the spread of COVID-19 will remain for two more weeks until April 14.
About the cabinet’s decision to approve the issuance of Rs700b DSB, Dr Awan said such bonds had been issued 19 times in the past by previous governments. “It is another step towards promotion and enhancement of Islamic banking which Malaysia has already done successfully. The bonds will address our issue of liquidity,” she added.
Azad Jammu and Kashmir’s (AJK) Prime Minister, Raja Farooq Haider Khan, has established the Central Command and Control Centre in Kashmir House to provide assistance to the citizens and to take steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in AJK.