ISLAMABAD - A day after Prime Minister Imran Khan chaired meeting of the high-powered National Coordination Committee, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Saturday directed for stepping up Army’s assistance to civil administration for containment of COVID-19.
The Army Chief underscored that protecting oneself is the foundation for the nation’s collective protection against the virus. He urged the nation to be responsible and take every precautionary measure to curb the spread of the virus.
On Friday last, the army chief met with Prime Minister Imran
Khan in the wake of coronavirus threat in the country.
“Protecting oneself is foundation for community/nation’s collective protection against pandemic. Every precautionary measure counts. Let’s be a responsible citizen at individual level
first and in turn assist authorities for safety & protection at collective level. Every Pakistani must follow guidelines given by the government and health departments to make ongoing national effort a success,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) directorate quoted the COAS as having said. The army chief further said that nothing can defeat a responsible and determined nation, as displayed by China.
“Pakistan Army, being part of the national effort, shall serve and protect the nation as a sacred duty. We shall succeed by being self-disciplined, cooperating, reinforcing each other and thereby synergizing various efforts, IA,” the COAS further said.
A couple of days back, the army chief directed the army troops to assist the civil administration for safety and well-being of the people in the wake of coronavirus. The Pakistan Army is in the forefront of fighting a national challenge with army institutions and doctors fully assisting the civil administration and utilizing all resources at their disposal to effectively combat the coronavirus outbreak.
While scientists under the supervision of Pakistan Army are busy researching and manufacturing personal protection equipment, such as facemasks and hand sanitizers, a ‘medical plan of action’ has been compiled under the supervision of the surgeon general of Pakistan Army to support the government efforts to fight the disease.
Personnel of the armed forces are working for passengers’ screening at all operational airports within the country, besides screening, scanning, and shifting of the suspect cases at all the entry points of the country. Besides, all the medical facilities of the armed forces are being utilized for assistance and load management of coronavirus patients at the moment.
Pakistan Army also helped establish a 10,000-bed field hospital at Karachi’s Expo Centre. A special quarantine centre was also established by the Pakistan Army to facilitate patients. The hospital is meant to isolate and treat confirmed patients of the coronavirus in a safe and secure environment, away from common people and other patients in the city.
The Medical Corps of Pakistan Army has come forward to help in the establishment of the field hospital on the request of the Sindh government. Moreover, the Army and the Rangers are assisting in operating health facilities in Sukkur, Dera Ghazi Khan and Multan.
The Pakistan Army is also assisting the civil administration in physical and information domains to tackle the coronavirus outbreak. The Inter-Services Public Relations and the ministries of information and health have collectively formed a ‘Risk Communication Strategy’ aimed at leaving no communication gap between the people and the institutions as well as busting all negative propaganda and misinformation doing rounds on the social media.
COAS asks people to be responsible,
follow medical guidelines
