Bilawal Bhutto urges government to announce lockdown to halt COVID-19

Chairman Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Saturday has urged the federal government to take a sensible action by moving the country towards a lockdown as the novel coronavirus rapidly spreading in the country.

Bilawal took to his Twitter and asked the government for “decisive action ASAP” to halt the spread of coronavirus.

“Pakistan must move towards a #lockdown. Every hour, every day that we delay is going to make dealing with the pandemic more difficult. We’re already late, should’ve done it earlier, need decisive action ASAP to mitigate this crisis now”.

“No province can handle this alone. We need the full force of the federal government to facilitate a lockdown, increase tests and assistance for those in need. While we hope for the best we must prepare for the worst”.

“At this rate our health system will be overwhelmed. We must learn from the experience of other countries. It’s a question of when not if. Stay at home now until the government makes up its mind. Stay at home to protect yourselves & others.”

The announcement comes a day after Prime Minister Imran Khan said that the country will not move towards a lockdown adding that the lockdown would mean the poor of the country will suffer from unemployment and food shortages.

Unlike the federal, the Sindh government has shut shopping malls, crowded markets, gyms, restaurants, hotels and picnic spots for two weeks in a bid to contain the coronavirus from spreading.

Meanwhile, the Punjab government on Saturday announced the closure of shopping malls and picnic spots for three days to combat the coronavirus pandemic.