Corona Relief Tigers

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday announced that the government has chosen to set up a "Corona Tigers Relief Force," which would help youth volunteers from across the country to help deal with coronavirus support purposes.

He made the announcement while greeting reporters in Islamabad. "We have a large youth population in our country, which is our asset; we need youths in the fight against coronavirus," he said. He added that enrollments for the relief force would begin from March 31.

"It is important to understand that when China enforced a lockdown, it delivered food to people's homes. We did not have any such support ... for this, we are setting up the special youth force, we will deliver food and other requirements to people through them."

The premier added that although coronavirus had not improved as widely in Pakistan as in some western countries, there was "no guarantee" that Covid-19 cases would not rise distinctly in the country in the coming weeks. He said that the government was planning for the "worst-case scenario."

Repeating his cares about the impact of a lockdown in the country, the premier said that he would announce the "Prime Minister's Corona Fund" next week to provide money to workers and daily-challenges, etc. so they could buy food for their families.

"We will register all such people in our Ehsaas program. People all over Pakistan will donate money which will be given to them [families in need]."

Calling the coronavirus situation unique, he said that such a thing had not happened before, and that was why it took time to organize a national response.

Rejecting reports of a food shortage in the country, Khan said that the problem had emerged because the transport of goods between provinces had been restricted, and people had started keeping foodstuffs out of fear.

"All the provinces decided today that there will no limitations on inter-provincial transport of goods," the premier announced, adding that the government was trying to work out a mechanism with the provinces to keep the primary industries (such as those associated with food products) running while reducing the risk of spreading the virus. "We have to be careful in our efforts to control the spread of coronavirus to not create a situation whereby people start dying from hunger."

The premier also added that he would open an account in the State Bank of Pakistan and ask overseas Pakistanis to provide remittances to it so that supplies could be boosted and pressure on the rupee could weaken.

Replying to a question about the screening and quarantine measures at the Taftan border, the prime minister said that the area was "impotent," and the Balochistan government did not have enough funds to provide adequate facilities to pilgrims and traders arriving from Iran.

"Dr. Zafar [Mirza] went to Taftan after the first case was reported, and when he returned and gave us the report, we were horrified. Because the [area] lacked the necessary facilities.

"We can't call it mismanagement, there was no management there at all," the premier said.

We have sufficient food supplies

Minister for National Food Security Khusro Bakhtiar, who was also present during the meeting, said that the country has enough amount of wheat and other food to last until the next season. "The government has taken assets of seven original food items in all districts, and any deficiencies will be overcome through the inter-district transfer of food resources.

"We have 1.6 million tonnes of wheat reserves; wheat acquisition has started in Sindh and will start soon in Punjab too. We have enough to last until the next season."

The minister added that with the help of the provinces, the gap between demand and supply would be connected within a few days, and prices of wheat and pulses would decrease.