ISLAMABAD - Pakistan People’s Party chief Bilawal Bhutto Zardari yesterday said the federal government’s attitude towards the coronavirus and the locust issues was a “dangerous approach.”
He directed the PPP-led Sindh provincial government to continue its efforts to protect the citizens from the virus and the devastation by locust attacks with whatever powers it has constitutionally and administratively.
Earlier the PPP chief was briefed by Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on the steps taken by the Sindh government in fighting COVID-19 and was informed that hundreds of children have been found infected by the virus, probably following the ease in the strict lockdown imposed by Sindh government. In a statement, Bilawal expressed grave concern on the federal government’s false narrative that there needs to be a choice between saving lives or saving the economy, adding it was the government’s job to provide healthcare, to save lives, and to save the economy.
He said the federal government could not absolve itself of its responsibilities. Chairman PPP said that the PPP and its Sindh government were fully geared up to protect the people from the severe implications of this deadly disease despite facing bottlenecks and diversions from the imprudent opponents.
He appreciated the Sindh government for timely actions and efforts and asked it to continue to wage war against coronavirus by ignoring the elements targeting it.
Bilawal pointed out that locust swarms have attacked the length and breadth of the country while the Federal government has miserably failed to implement the National Action Programme against locusts. “Attacks by locusts on agriculture crops and fruits pose a worst danger of famine in the country and people will suffer gravely due to the criminal negligence of the Federal government,” he added.
The PPP Chairman asked Sindh government to employ all available sources and capacity to eliminate locusts in all the districts of the province and Federal government should be awakened through continued correspondence to take steps as fighting locust attacks was the prime responsibility of the Plant Protection Department of the Federal government.
Separately, PPP Secretary General Nayyar Bokhari urges the federal government to ensure coronavirus tests of the government employees and the business persons. He said the government had failed to deliver on the coronavirus and locust crises.
Meanwhile, Bilawal’s spokesperson Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar condemned the raid at opposition leader Shshbaz Sharif’s residence by the National Accountability Bureau officials.
“The government is trying to arrest the leader of the opposition ahead of the budget session. This is political victimisation,” he said.
The PPP leader said the government should focus on countering the coronavirus and the locust issues.