Govt stands by decision to not evacuate citizens from China

Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr Zafar Mirza Saturday announced that no Pakistani will be allowed to travel back to the country from China till they complete a 14-day observation period. Addressing a press conference here, Dr Mirza said the government has decided to stay firm on its earlier decision against the repatriation of Pakistanis stuck in virus-hit China. He declared that the decision of non-repatriation of Pakistani citizens from China is final, saying that the government has ‘complete trust’ in Beijing’s policies to combat the epidemic. “I want to reiterate our trust in China’s policies,” he told reporters, adding that the government stands by Beijing. “We care about our children more than anyone else, but we need to realise our responsibilities and take the right step. We don’t want to copy others. For us, it is more important to take steps that ensure that maximum number of people are saved,” he said. “The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the situation an emergency of international concern. Being a responsible nation, Pakistan wants to take steps that ensure the safety of maximum people,” the special assistant said, adding that the decision was finalised after a conversation between Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, where the latter had assured that taking care of Pakistani citizens was a priority for the Chinese government. Dr Mirza assured once again that Islamabad is striving to ensure that the Pakistani citizens in China are being taken care of and have access to all facilities. Giving an update on the status of the Pakistani students who had caught the coronavirus, he said that they have recovered as the disease was diagnosed at an early stage. The SAPM said that those Pakistani citizens, who are stranded in China, will not be allowed to return until they have been quarantined for 14 days and are found to be free of the disease. He said that a comprehensive plan has been devised to ensure that when flights from China to Pakistan resume, passengers are screened properly so that cases of the virus do not emerge in Pakistan. “We are confident that if we are successful in implementing this plan – and there is no reason to believe that we won’t be able to implement it – we will be able to keep Pakistanis safe from this virus,” he maintained. He said the government is fully alive to coronavirus challenge and has devised a strategy for diagnosis and treatment of infected persons if found in Pakistan. He said all ministries and divisions are on board to tackle coronavirus patients when and where found in the country. “Kits for diagnosis and treatment of coronavirus will be received Saturday evening while an effective awareness campaign is also on cards to sensitize the people,” he added. The SAPM said there is no patient with coronavirus detected in Pakistan, adding that some four Pakistanis were diagnosed in China with the disease and their health is improving by each passing day. He said quarantine has been initiated in China for Pakistani travelers to make them disease-free as well as to prevent the spread of it. He said health declaration cards will be distributed amongst all the passengers in view of coronavirus outbreak and passengers will be advised to fill up the form and handover to health staff at the international arrival lounge. The form contains demographic information of passenger, travel history and health status like issue of fever, cough and shortness of breath. Non-compliance will result in denial of entry to the country, he said. “It is top priority of the government to keep people of the country safe from the deadly virus and no stone will leave unturned in this regard,” he said. Meanwhile, a group of Pakistani students and community members stranded in the Chinese city of Ürümqi due to suspension of flights in the wake of the new coronavirus outbreak in China have been granted an 11-day visa extension by Chinese authorities, it emerged on Saturday. All of them have been provided hotel accommodation and food will be made available for them until flights resume between Urumqi and Islamabad. A senior official at the Pakistan Embassy said Chinese authorities in Beijing and Urumqi are fully cooperating and have assured that all of the Pakistani nationals who are stranded in Urumqi are being provided accommodation, food and healthcare. In a quick and timely response to the global public health emergency of coronavirus, the World Health Organization (WHO) Pakistan has provided necessary technical guidance, tools for screening along with laboratory support and management of cases at federal and provincial levels. According to WHO, it has provided Infrared thermo guns which measures the temperature without touching the individual to identify suspected cases of corona virus. WHO has also provided personal protective equipment including surgical gloves, masks, hand sanitizers, gowns, goggles, liquid soap, and other supplies to the Directorate of Central Health Establishment in the Ministry of National Health Services Regulations and Coordination. WHO has established a strategic health operations and communication (SHOC) room for emergency response.