PESHAWAR: A multiparty conference here on Friday accused the government of adopting a reactive approach while dealing with the coronavirus pandemic and demanded convening of a joint session of parliament to devise an effective strategy to deal with Covid-19 outbreak in the country.

The conference was organised by Qaumi Watan Party in Peshawar through video link with its provincial chief Sikandar Hayat Khan in the chair.

Those who shared their views at the moot included Senator Maulana Ataur Rahman of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl, Senator Mushtaq Ahmad of Jamaat-i-Islami, Amir Muqam of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Humayun Khan and Faisal Karim Kundi of Pakistan Peoples Party, Arbab Tahir of Awami National Party, Dr Said Alam Mahsud of Ulasi Tehreek, Mukhtiar Bacha of National Party Pakhtunkhwa Wahdat, Shakil Wahidullah of Mazdoor Kisan Party and Akhunzada Haider Zaman of Awami Workers Party.

QWP’s provincial general secretary Hashim Babar, Tariq Ahmad Khan and Adnan Wazir were also present on the occasion.

Calls for ensuring transparency in relief distribution

Welcoming the participants, Sikandar Sherpao said the government should have developed a consensus to tackle the coronavirus emergency. However, there is no coordination among the centre and the provincial government departments in this regard, he said.

He said the government was playing politics over this issue by creating ‘tiger force’. He demanded transparency in distribution of relief items by forming oversight committees at the district level.

The QWP leader demanded of the government to waive utility bills and increase the relief amount from Rs3,000 to Rs15,000 a month for the deserving people.

Mr Muqam said that the prime minister was not willing to take input from the opposition. He said that doctors and paramedics were not being provided with personal protective equipment and thus they were exposed to the coronavirus.

The PML-N leader said the government should enhance the testing capacity to detect those suffering from coronavirus besides providing urgent relief to the daily wagers and labourers, particularly those belonging to far-flung areas.

Arbab Tahir said the federal and provincial governments were not on the same page. He demanded that interest rate should be brought down to a single digit besides lowering prices of petroleum products in line with international rates. He demanded of the federal government to provide net hydel profit arrears to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to meet the shortage of funds while containing Covid-19.

Mukhtiar Bacha appreciated the role of the police in ensuring the lockdown and called for increasing the health budget.

Mr Mahsud sought transparency in distribution of relief goods and provision of safety kits to health staff. He sought release of people involved in petty crimes.

Senator Mushtaq Ahmad said the government wasted two months and did not take timely steps to secure the airports and borders. He said the government had enough time to arrange personal protective equipments and establish quarantine centres as per the SOPs.

Demanding of the government to tender an apology to the doctors, he condemned the baton-charge and arrest of doctors in Quetta. The JI leader said the government should conduct maximum tests to determine the actual number of patients.

He asked the government to fix the price of petroleum products at 60 per litre besides bringing the interest rate to zero.

Maulana Ataur Rahman said the government should convene the joint sitting of parliament to devise a strategy to address the challenge facing the country. He said that the role of parliament should not be ignored and a way out should be found to hold a joint session.

He also demanded release of prisoners involved in petty crimes and missing persons on humanitarian grounds.

Humayun Khan said the government should take steps to protect Afghan refugees from getting infected by launching an awareness campaign. He also demanded transparency in distribution of the relief goods.

Published in Dawn, April 11th, 2020