ISLAMABAD - Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Interior Senator Rehman Malik has written a letter to Prime Minister Imran Khan demanding imposition of limited army curfew from July 15th to August for implementation of anti-coronavirus SOPs and other necessary precautionary measures.

In his letter, Rehman Malik asked the Prime Minister to call All Parties Conference to work out a collective roadmap to deal with COVID-19 and economy as the country was suffering heavily because of COVID-19. “Our legislative work is also almost gone zero because of social distancing and the SOPs given by WHO for COVID-19,” he said.

Senator Rehman Malik recommended ten important measures to be taken immediately both by the federal and provincial governments including imposition of army curfew for enforcement of anti-coronavirus SOPs without further delay.

He also proposed to declare health emergency for the months of July, August, and September, 2020.

He urged to promulgate emergency laws, that punish the hoarders, counterfeiters, black-marketers of medicines, medical equipment, over-charging of medical treatment linked with COVID-19, and daily commodities and they should be tried summarily and punished. The TV channels should be instructed to give news of the persons arrested and punished for these emergency based crimes, he added.

He also asked to enhance capacity of treatment of COVID-19 patients by building temporary coronavirus treatment centers as month of August is likely to be hard.

“The government of China may be requested for sending more Chinese doctors and nurses for treatment of coronavirus patients in Pakistan. To ensure abundant availability of all life-saving drugs, including Panadol and instruments. Import Taxes and duties, may be removed temporarily to replenish shortages,” he said. Lift all and any import duties and restrictions upon import and domestic sale of protective kits for the doctors and para-medical staff, he said. “Risk allowance and increase in salaries of those doctors and paramedical staff upto 100% who are treating COVID-19 patients, and to offer them compensations at par with police, who lay their lives in line of duty,” he said.

He added, “Special arrangements may be made on the occasion of Eidul Azha for observations of SOPs in letter and spirit as the virus around the mob become thickly airborne and there will more fear of COVID-19 spread.”