Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General (DG) Major General Babar Iftikhar has said that the troops of the Pakistan Army have reached every corner of the country to aid in the enforcement of the standard operating procedures (SOPs) in the latest bid by the federal government to curb the spread of the pandemic within the country.
The cities where the troops have reached included Islamabad, Peshawar, Mardan, Nowshera, Charsadda, Swabi, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan, Bahawalpur, Gujranwala, Karachi, Hyderabad, Quetta and Muzaffarabad, where the positivity rate has reached “dangerous” levels, he said during a press briefing in Rawalpindi.
There are 51 cities where the virus positivity rate is above 5 per cent, according to the ISPR DG. Pakistan currently has 90,000 active cases of the virus. Of these active cases, he added, 570 are on ventilators and 4,300 patients are in critical condition. Pakistan reported the highest 157 deaths in a single day on April 23, Major General Iftikhar said.
Over 75 per cent of the total oxygen produced in the country has been allocated for the health sector, he stressed. Oxygen reserved for the industry might have to be reallocated to the health sector if the present coronavirus situation persisted, the ISPR DG added.
The provincial apex committees would hold weekly meetings to discuss the overall situation and analyse areas with high positivity rates after which a plan of action would be decided, the DG ISPR informed media persons.
“The primary purpose of deployment of army troops is to help civil institutions and law enforcement agencies,” he said, adding that like the last time, Pakistan Army had decided not to claim any sort of internal security allowance during the deployment.
“We can remain safe only by adhering to the Covid-19 SOPs,” he added.
He stressed that the basic responsibility for implementation of SOPs in respect of coronavirus and maintenance of law and order situation is on the shoulders of the civilian institutions. However, Pakistan Army will fully assist the civilian administration in the implementation of SOPs and upkeep of law and order situation.
The ISPR DG’s confirmation came a day after Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad has said that Pakistan Army had been given the responsibility to assist the civil administration to get implemented the SOPs to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.
In a video message on Sunday, the interior minister had said to this effect, a notification had been issued under which Punjab, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Islamabad Capital Territory, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) can seek services of military troops as per their needs for implementation of SOPs in the wake of increasing Covid cases in the country. He said that Sindh has so far not been included in this scheme.
The interior minister had said that the decision to seek services of the army regarding implementation on SOPs was taken at a meeting of the National Coordination Committee (NCC) held on last Friday with Prime Minister Imran Khan in the chair.
He had said that the Pakistan Army has always stood by the nation during critical times, including catastrophes, floods, and earthquakes. He said that around 400,000 Covid cases are being reported in India on a daily basis, making the cremation centres and graveyards equally busy. He said in view of such a situation, Pakistan Army has been assigned the task to get SOPs implemented to contain the spread of the contagion.
Meanwhile, it had emerged on Sunday that following the National Coordination Committee’s (NCC) decision, the Sindh government has written to the federal government, seeking the deployment of army personnel in the province to ensure adherence to Covid-19 precautionary SOPs.
“The services of armed forces of Pakistan in aid of civil power are required under Article 245 of the Constitution of Pakistan,” had read a letter penned by the home department to the federal interior ministry.
“Exact nature of deployment of troops and equipment will be communicated in due course of time after carrying out requisite assessment in consultation with [the] quarters concerned,” the communique had added.
The letter had further stated that, “It is, therefore, requested to kindly accord approval for deployment of Armed Forces in aid of Civil Power in the Province of Sindh.”
The Pakistan Army was called out on April 23 in aid of civil administration to ensure implementation of precautionary measures against the rampaging novel coronavirus as the prime minister warned the government might impose lockdown in major cities if the spread of the deadly contagion is not contained.
The ominous warning came as Covid-19 – the deadly respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus – appeared to have spiraled out of control in India where the healthcare system is staggering amid shortage of oxygen and medicines while crematoriums are being overwhelmed with deluges of bodies.
“If the situation worsens here like it has worsened in India, then we will have to impose lockdowns in cities – something we do not want and cannot afford because, in that case the poor – labourers and the daily-wagers – will suffer the most,” the premier had said during the address to the nation. He added that he had been resisting calls from his aides who advised him to immediately impose lockdowns in the major cities.
