Coronavirus: Rehman Malik writes to Bill Gates

Islamabad: Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Interior and Former Interior Minister Senator A. Rehman Malik today on Wednesday has written a letter to Mr. Bill Gates, Co-Chair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to use your personal influence with United Nations (UN) to constitute a high-powered UN Commission on COVID-19 to discover whether Covid-19 is an attempt of bio-terrorism or a naturally-grown virus.

In his letter to Bill Gates, Senator A. Rehman Malik has referred to his letter to Secretary General United Nations Mr. António Guterres of Match 21st, 2020 in which he has plead to order the constitution of a high-powered UN Commission on COVID-19 under UN Convention on Biological Weapons, 1975 to discover whether COVID-19 is manmade or a naturally-grown virus.

He writes “I recall your warning back on February 18, 2017 while addressing Munich Security Conference you had warned that Tens of millions could be killed by bio-terrorism’ adding that the next epidemic could originate on the computer screen of a terrorist intent on using genetic engineering to create a synthetic version of the smallpox virus … or a super contagious and deadly strain of the flu and genetic engineering could be terrorist weapon”. 

He writes that not only this but later on April 28, 2018, once again you (Bill Gates) had warned the world that An illness like the pandemic 1918 influenza could kill 30 million people within six months and that disease might not even be a flu, but something we’ve never seen. He adds that similarly, in a lecture titled “The next outbreak; we’re not ready” on TED dated Apr 3, 2015 you (Bill Gates) had stated  that today the greatest risk of global catastrophe doesn’t look like this. Instead, it looks like this. If anything kills over 10 million people in the next few decades, it’s most likely to be a highly infectious virus rather than a war. He adds that in a very clear words, Mr. Bill Gates had predicted “Not missiles, but microbes. Now, part of the reason for this is that we’ve invested a huge amount in nuclear deterrents. But we’ve actually invested very little in a system to stop an epidemic. We’re not ready for the next epidemic.”

Senator A. Rehman Malik tells in letter to Mr. Bill Gates that unfortunately, the international community and world organizations did not pay heed to your apprehensions shown regarding bio-terrorism, bio-warfare and your forceful predictions about epidemics. He expresses that he has been fighting against terrorists in various capacities, beginning from Director General Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) which is equivalent to FBI of USA and as Former Federal Interior Minister and has shown the same apprehensions as expressed by you (Bill Gates) time and again that bio-weapon could be the option of terrorists to initiate ‘bio-terrorism’ across the world. He adds “the apprehensions shown by me were based purely upon international media reports and on-ground situation.” Senator Rehman Malik further states that as the Bio-Warfare theories gain root in societies across the globe, he wrote a letter to Secretary General United Nations on 3rd April, 2020 that a high-powered Commission be constituted under the UN Biological Weapons Convention, 1975 to ascertain the actual facts about COVID-19 by investigating ‘The Origin of COVID-19 and its Patient Zero’.  

He conveys s that in his letter to UN Secretary General, he had stated “Today when the Coronavirus has emerged as the deadliest virus of this century, our common apprehensions about ‘bio-warfare’ have increased. Since the breakout of Novel Coronavirus – COVID-19, many claims, speculations, conspiracy theories and misinformation about the disease have found their way into the International print and electronic media. In face of the unrest precipitated by the breakout of COVID-19, and to pre-empt the growing perception linking the COVID-19 spread to communities and states that is resulting in rapidly increasing polarization in violent responses and panic among the masses has been increased manifolds”

He writes to Mr. Bill Gates “Your Excellency, agreeing with your apprehensions of bio-terrorism, bio-warfare and genetically changed virus through biological engineering, I would like to add that I feel that a semi bio-warfare with mildly modified or genetically altered viruses may occur in future, directed by some terrorist groups or a state, to target a specific population, country or region.”Senator A. Rehman Malik urging Bill Gates that the world is interested in identifying the geo-location and Patient Zero, being of paramount importance in attaining the desired results, that could enable the biologists and virologists to develop the vaccine of this deadliest virus at the earliest to save humanity, would add another feather in your cap. He has urged “I would like to request you to use your personal influence with United Nations (UN) to constitute a high-powered UN Commission on COVID-19 to discover whether Covid-19 is an attempt of bio-terrorism or a naturally-grown virus.”

In the letter, Senator A. Rehman Malik highly appreciates Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for their philanthropic drive across the world particularly in the health sector and writes the International community appreciates your extra efforts and interest in countering fatal diseases. He says he has been very keenly following and observing Mr. Bill Gates great work, statements and analysis on different issues of public interest.
He ends his letter with complements “it may not be out of place to acknowledge your commendable support for the polio drive in Pakistan, which I had an opportunity of overseeing as Interior Minister for ensuring security of the polio workers.”

The letter was made public in a joint press conference along with Faisal Karim Kundi former Deputy Speaker National Assembly through video link at his residence in Islamabad. Faisal Karim Kundi highly appreciated Senator A. Rehman Malik for his tireless efforts for national cause. He said that he is earnestly waiting for Senator Malik’s upcoming book on Coronavirus which will indeed prove be a source of learning for the people. Both leaders urged Prime Minister Imran Khan to promote the national unity and harmony to combat the pandemic in befitting manner. 

They urged PM to refrain his ministers from politics of blame game adding Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has refrained the PPP leadership to not be part of political blame game in these difficult moments. Faisal Karim Kundi said that possibly a large number of people arrive Pakistan from Afghanistan therefore the Government should ensure necessary arrangement for their proper screening and testing for Coronavirus and if required they should be quarantined for required period.