ISLAMABAD-Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan (JIP) has issued a set of comprehensive policies on the procurement and administration of coronavirus vaccine, and on the management of the impact of COVID-19 on economy and education.
In an exclusive working session (organised by PILDAT) of JIP’s Policy Planning Wing held in Islamabad, the party’s policies were discussed and finalised by the party members. The finalised JIP policies on vaccination, economy and education under COVID-19 were also released to the media in a press talk by Dr. Fareed Ahmed Paracha, Naib Ameer, JIP, Mr. Azhar Iqbal Hassan, Deputy Secretary General, JIP, Syed Waqas Jafri, Deputy Secretary General, JIP, Dr. Tariq Saleem, Mr. Asif Luqman Qazi, Director, President, Standing Committee on Economic Affairs, JIP, and Dr. Khubaib Ahmad Shahid, Central President, Pakistan Islamic Medical Association after the session.
The party’s policy on coronavirus vaccination states that the media is to be used fully to dispel doubts about the effectiveness of the vaccine and reliable, experienced and senior doctors should give a positive message to the people. The policy emphasises that a helpline is also to be set up to allay public suspicions about vaccination, adding that an integrated and organised system to be established for corona vaccine use. 
The policy highlights that all vaccine purchases should be made by the government, and there should be only government-controlled system of order placement, booking and delivery of vaccine. Policy states that healthcare workers from public as well as private sector are to be vaccinated first, followed by persons above the age of 55 years and people exposed to crowds such as in markets, hospitals and mosques respectively. The policy states that database of NADRA should be used to identify persons above the age of 55 years and health care commission database should be used to select vaccination centres.
JIP’s policy on education under COVID-19 states that a formula of discount in fee is to be devised after mutual consultation of the government, parents and school administration. The policy highlights that schools are to be barred from charging for sports and other extra-curricular activities. The party believes that as a compensation, the government should provide grants and interest-free loans to private institutions so that they can pay salaries to teachers, and save the educational sector from a big crisis. The policy highlights that a new article should be added to the Constitution of Pakistan to make provision of internet mandatory along with free and compulsory education for children from the age of 5 to 16 years.
The policy on economy under COVID-19 states that a complete lockdown is not the optimum solution as there is a trade-off between healthcare and economic objectives, therefore, economic activity should not be completely shut down as it brings its own miseries. It states that the wearing of masks should be enforced and a fine of Rs50 should be imposed on violators. Interest-free loans should be provided to eligible businesses including shops, private schools and restaurants. JIP believes that in the context of the pandemic, all the instruments of Islamic social finance including zakat, sadaqah, waqf, takaful ta’awuni, and others should be coordinated together and integrated with the fiscal policy of the governments in the form of safety nets and pro-poor expenditure. The party believes that Pakistan needs to get rid of IMF programmes and adopt an approach of self-reliance, the JIP policy states.
Prominent JIP Members who attended the policy planning session are: Mr. Asif Luqman Qazi, Director, President, Standing Committee on Economic Affairs; Ms. Ayesha Syed, Former MNA; Mr. Azhar Iqbal Hassan, Deputy Secretary General; Dr. Fareed Ahmed Paracha, Vice President, JIP; Dr. Khubaib Ahmad Shahid, Central President, Pakistan Islamic Medical Association; Dr. Samia Raheel Qazi, Former MNA, Director Foreign Affairs Department, JIP Women Wing; Dr. Rukhsana Jabeen, President, Women and Family Commission; Ms. Sakina Shahid, Deputy Secretary General, Women Wing; Ms. Samina Saeed, Deputy Secretary General, Women Wing; Syed Waqas Jafri, Deputy Secretary General; Mr. Zikrullah Mujahid, Ameer, Lahore.