Islamabad: Pakistan has sought USD 3.7 billion additional loan from three multilateral creditors to cope with the economic crisis being posed by the coronavirus outbreak, as the pandemic spread further in the country, infecting over 1,650 people and killing 21 so far.
In addition to USD 1.4 billion loan from the IMF, the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank will extend loans of USD 1 billion and USD 1.25 billion respectively to the country, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance Abdul Hafeez Shaikh said at a news conference. Prime Minister Imran Khan had earlier announced a Rs 1.2 trillion economic relief package.
According to the Ministry of Health, Punjab - the emerging hotspot of Covid-19 in Pakistan - recorded 558 cases, followed by 481 in Sindh, 188 in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, 138 in Balochistan, 116 in Gilgit-Baltistan, 43 in Islamabad and 2 in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). So far 13 people have died, 25 recovered and 11 are in a critical condition. There were 421 patients in Sindh, 345 in Punjab, 131 in Balochistan, 123 in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP), 84 in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), 25 in Islamabad and 1 in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, according to the website of ministry of health services.
On Saturday, a special plane from China carrying a team of eight medical experts and relief assistance landed here to help Pakistan to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus. Advisor on health to the government Zafar Mirza said, "There is not a single case (in Pakistan) with a travel history of China. This is remarkable if you think about it."
"This could happen only because of the coordination between the Pakistani and the Chinese governments," he said, adding that the decision to keep Pakistani students in Wuhan despite domestic pressure "proved right". The Pakistan government also decided to keep its western borders with Iran and Afghanistan and eastern border with India closed for two more weeks due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on National Security Moeed Yusuf said the move was taken in the wake of increasing Covid-19 cases in the country. He also announced that all flights will remain suspended in the country till April 4. However, there will be exceptions if a country makes a special request to repatriate its citizens.
On Sunday, a special flight carrying stranded Pakistanis from Bangkok was allowed to land in Islamabad. All passengers were taken to an isolation centre where they will be tested before being allowed to go home.
Army deployed to enforce lockdown
Pakistan has deployed army to assist the civil administration in enforcing nationwide lockdown and perform other duties. 'Army will assist federal and provincial governments in their respective plans to deal with COVID-19,' Army spokesman Maj Gen Babar Iftikhar said. His statement came after the interior ministry invoked the Article 245 of the Constitution to call armed forces.
