SC makes Rehman Malik’s report part of proceedings

Islamabad: The Supreme Court of Pakistan Monday made the Senator A. Rehman Malik’s Report on Coronavirus a part of Court Proceedings while hearing the Suo Moto Case regarding combating the Pandemic of Coronavirus (COVID-19) on April 20, 2020. 

Senator A. Rehman Malik thanked Chief Justice of Pakistan for making his report part of the court proceedings and said indeed it is a big acknowledgment of the Senate Standing Committee on Interior which worked day and night in these difficult moments.
While addressing media outside Supreme Court, Senator A. Rehman Malik said that Senate Standing Committee on Interior continued its working online and compiled a comprehensive report which was not only submitted to the Court but was timely sent to the Federal and all provincial governments for implementation. 

He said that the outbreak of Coronavirus is a national security issue and all the stakeholders should meet their hands to combat this deadly pandemic. He said that the role of the Supreme Court of Pakistan is exemplary for taking the notice of the matter of national security. 
He paid rich tribute to doctors, paramedics and Army Medical Corps for their tireless efforts to serve the nation and appreciated the Pakistan Army, police and other LEAs for their contribution to this noble cause of serving the nation during the pandemic.Senator A. Rehman Malik said that as Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Interior he had taken suo moto notice of Coronavirus outbreak on 26th February the time when only two cases were reported positive. 

He said that he had convened an emergency meeting of the Committee on February 27, 2020, to advise the government to take timely preventive measures against the potential spread of Coronavirus. 
He added that in the said meeting he had urged the government to prepare a comprehensive National Action Plan against Coronavirus and the government was cautioned that the coronavirus could spread in Pakistan after its outbreak in China and Iran. He said that the committee had issued instructions for setting up screening test and isolation centers at all the airports and other entry points and had suggested that every passenger should be tested and quarantined upon entering Pakistan. 

He said that the Interior Committee had termed the Coronavirus outbreak as a National Security Issue and had asked the government to impose an urgent medical emergency in the country and handover all civil hospitals to Army Medical Corps (AMC). He said that he has advised the government to call a joint session of parliament and has written to Prime Minister to convene a meeting of Chief Ministers of four Provinces to formulate a joint strategy against Coronavirus. Senator Rehman Malik said that the committee had prepared a 37-point National Action Plan on Coronavirus containing preventive measures and had sent it to the federal and provincial governments to implement it to control Coronavirus in the first phase before it spread countrywide. 

He also said that the situation would have been different and far better today if the government had taken timely action against the spread of Coronavirus and had implemented the Senate Standing Committee on Interior 37 Recommendations in true letter and spirit.
Senator A. Rehman Malik said, however, things have got better since the Command and Control Center is established and have taken over the control to combat Coronavirus. He said that all operations are being managed with visible improvement. 

He added that Command and Control Center has provided immediate services and relief in Balochistan and kept the complaints coming about non-availability of testing kits and PPEs for doctors and paramedics. He mentioned that Command and Control Center must work on way forward to manufacture all the PPEs, ventilators and other medical equipment necessary to beat this deadly virus. He said that for a country which can make an atom bomb, it is not any difficult task to manufacture all the medical equipment domestically.  
He said that it is great omen that Command and Control Center has recommended the construction of a modern and fully equipped hospital for viral diseases with capacity of thousand beds in Islamabad and suggested that construction of hospital of the same standard and nature in each provincial headquarters should be recommended so in future any epidemic and all viral diseases could be controlled well on time. He urged the government to utilize the capabilities of Army Medical Corps and enhance its role in combatting Coronavirus for timely relief of public. He said that it is time for national unity rather blame game as only with unity we can combat this deadly pandemic which he fears could be increased in upcoming weeks.

Senator A. Rehman Malik informed the media that since February 26th, 2020 till today he has been working on the issue which includes two meetings of the committee, letter to Prime Minister for allocating 20 billion special budget to combat Coronavirus and letter to FATF to remove Pakistan name from Coronavirus from its Grey List with a letter to Secretary-General United Nations to play his role in removing Pakistan from FATF’s Grey List. He said that he has also written letters to Secretary-General United Nations and Mr. Bill Gates for the formation of the UN Commission on COVID-19 to investigate its origin and Patient Zero.