SAARC virtual moot: Dr Zafar Mirza calls for end to India-occupied Kashmir lockdown in view of coronavirus emergency

 

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Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Zafar Mirza on Sunday, called for an end to the lockdown imposed in India-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, given the threats posed by the coronavirus pandemic.

Dr Mirza was representing Pakistan at a video conference of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) member countries held to discuss a joint regional strategy for curbing the spread of the novel coronavirus.

"It is a matter of concern that COVID-19 has been reported from Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir and in view of the health emergency, it is imperative that all lockdown in the disputed territory must be lifted immediately," Dr Mirza can be seen saying, in a video shared on social media.

"Opening up communications and movement would facilitate dissemination of information, allow distribution of medical supplies, and enable containment and relief efforts to proceed unimpeded," said the prime minister's special aide.

Prime Minister Imran Khan did not participate in the virtual conference.

Briefing the participants, Dr Mirza said that Pakistan had taken concrete measures to contain the spread of the virus, with the assistance of the World Health Organisation (WHO).

"Pakistan was one of the few countries to declare a health emergency," he said, adding that the country is regulating flights and has set up numerous isolation and quarantine centres.

He said the spread of the virus had been curbed by timely identifying affected patients and placing them under quarantine, along with tracing all those who had come into contact with them.

Dr Mirza said that the prime minister was personally overseeing the measures being utilised.

He also informed the participants that the World Health Organisation has praised Pakistan's efforts to deal with the outbreak.