Rehman Malik to brief Supreme Court on coronavirus pandemic

Islamabad: Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Interior Senator A. Rehman Malik will brief the Supreme Court of Pakistan today (Monday) about the local and international development on Coronavirus.

Supreme Court of Pakistan through a letter to Senator A. Rehman Malik has asked to may appear in the court and make submissions as Suo Moto Case action regarding combating the Pandemic of Coronavirus (COVID-19) is fixed for hearing before the court tomorrow on April 20, 2020. He will also apprise the court about the committee measures and proceedings regarding Coronavirus since February 27th, 2020.

Senator A. Rehman Malik as Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Interior had taken suo moto notice on February 26, 2020 of the potential spread of Coronavirus in Pakistan soon after its first two cases were confirmed positive in the country.

In an emergency on February 27, the Senate Standing Committee on Interior chaired by Senator A. Rehman Malik had given the government a comprehensive National Action Plan to counter the potential spread of Coronavirus in Pakistan and had timely advised the necessary preventive and other remedial measures on war footings. In the said meeting, the government was cautioned that the coronavirus could spread throughout the country rapidly after its outbreak in China and Iran if necessary measures on war footings were not taken.

Senator A. Rehman Malik had issued instructions for setting up screening test and isolation centres at all the airports and other entry points and had directed that every passenger should be tested for Coronavirus and quarantined upon entering Pakistan.

The Senate Interior Committee had termed the Coronavirus outbreak as a National Security Threat and had asked the government to impose Medical Emergency across the country and close all the educational institutions immediately.

The committee Chairman had also advised the Prime Minister to convene a meeting of Chief Ministers, Chief Secretaries, Health Secretaries and other concerned authorities of four Provinces to formulate a joint Counter Coronavirus Strategy to control it before it spread across the country. The 37-point National Action Plan on Coronavirus containing all the preventive measures and had sent for implementation to the federal and provincial governments to control Coronavirus at the initial stage. The Chairman Committee had also suggested that all the civil hospitals and entry points including airports should be handover to Pakistan Army Medical Corps (AMC).

The 37-Points National Action Plan proposed by Senate Standing Committee on Interior is reproduced as bellow:

1. Coronavirus is a National Issue which should be dealt with National Spirit
2. Isolation centres should be established out of the hospitals away from the population
3. Medical and Para-medical staff be imparted training to work in accordance with the international standard and SOPs
4. Equipment to be imported for treatment of Coronavirus should be exempted from duties for a period of six months.
5. Government should properly evaluate the threat of Coronavirus in Pakistan.
6. Comprehensive coordination amongst all stakeholders to fight against coronavirus.
7. Testing facilities of Coronavirus should be made available within 48 hours.
8. Government should allocate sufficient funds to fight against coronavirus.
9. Ministry of Interior and all other stakeholders to formulate a common counter strategy under Anti-Coronavirus National Action Plan to combat this deadly disease.
10. Proper arrangements at all airports, seaports and entry points for the screening of all those entering Pakistan
11. Identification and quarantine of 7500 pilgrims and all those returning from abroad
12. Families of all Pakistanis returned from other affected countries must be quarantined for 14 days and they shall be provided with free food and medicine on government expenses.
13. Those who are diagnosed with the virus, their family members must be tested and be quarantined
14. NIH to set up an auditable FUND to battle against this epidemic; and in this regard an account must be set-up within 24 hours and should be made public for donations
15. Media to avoid to create hype and panic in the masses but a comprehensive awareness campaign should be launched through the PTV and all private TV Channels about the preventive measures from Coronavirus.
16. PEMRA to ensure that awareness material produced by the Ministry of Health must be disseminated to all channels making it mandatory for airing.
17. Health emergency should be declared across the country and PTA must direct all service providers to issue one to two line messages in local languages to create awareness on preventive measures against Coronavirus.
18. Provide 500 N-95 masks to the officials/staff of Airport Security Force, FIA and other law enforcement agencies deployed at airports and make it mandatory as part of their uniform.
19. Provincial Home Departments should keep an eye on Chinese working on CPEC Projects as a large number of them are expected to return back from China and they should be screened for Coronavirus
20. Safe return of Pakistan students stranded in different cities of China within 15 days in coordination with the Chinese government.
21. Flights returning from other afflicted countries must be diverted to specially designated airports to avoid further risk
22. Emergency must be declared at Pak-Afghan and Pak-Iran borders.
23. Possible measures must be taken to control the situation in the Federal Capital since the identification of one person in Islamabad has put numerous lives at risk in the Capita
24. Report on the situation and required budget with proposals must be submitted to the Committee in the next meeting and in-camera briefing may be held as well
25. DIssatisfaction on the arrangements made so far to stop potential spread of Coronavirus in Pakistan
26. Should appoint a Task Force comprising on all stakeholders from the federal and provincial governments to deal with the threat of deadly coronavirus
27. Government should summon a Joint Session of the Parliament to evolve a national strategy against coronavirus
28. Appoint a Minister for the Ministry of National Health and Regulations on urgent basis
29. An amount of Rs.20 Billion be allocated for making logistic and other arrangements to stop the potential spread of Coronavirus in Pakistan
30. All educational institutions be closed with immediate effect to stop further spread of coronavirus
31. Constitute ant-coronavirus taskforce duly headed by an officer from Army Medical Corps not below the rank of Maj. General
32. Designated hospitals may be handed over to Army Medical Corps to cope with the situation
33. Dissatisfaction on the arrangements made so far to stop potential spread of Coronavirus in Pakistan
34. Appoint a Task Force comprising on all stakeholders from the federal and provincial governments to deal with the threat of deadly coronavirus
35. Summon a Joint Session of the Parliament to evolve a national strategy against Coronavirus
36. Appoint a Minister for the Ministry of National Health and Regulations on urgent basis
37. Allocate Rs.20 billion to make logistics and other medical arrangements to control spread of Coronavirus in the country