Pakistan now moves to micro lockdowns, says Asad Umar

Federal Minister for Planning Asad Umar on Tuesday said that Pakistan after successfully implementing the “Smart Lockdown” policy in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic that was praised by the world community is now moving towards “Micro Lockdowns”, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

“Micro Lockdown is like imposing lockdown on a few co-located houses to a small street or a multi-storey building,” Asad Umar said, while addressing a news conference after attending a briefing at the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) in Islamabad.

Asad Umar said Pakistan has around 7,000 active cases right now and the NCOC is planning to urge all these people to isolate themselves at their homes using the micro lockdown.

Asad Umar said the most important factor in the reduction of COVID-19 cases in Pakistan has-been the prudent behaviour and cooperation extended by the citizens with unprecedented media support. 

The planning minister said it would be wrong to think that the coronavirus has been eliminated as the nation has to be more vigilant to stem the virus.

He said the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) President-elect and Bill Gates also said that Pakistan did a great job in the fight the coronavirus. “Now we are moving towards micro lockdown,” Asad Umar maintained.

He said Pakistan had intensified the smart lockdown in June and took all possible measures to control the pandemic.

Asad Umar said with the help of contact tracing technique, the NCOC was able to trace 1.1 million people and in which 10.5 percent came out with confirmed coronavirus cases.

Citing the regional outlook, Asad Umar said that Pakistan is at the lowest in the region with average 0.15 in terms of deaths due to the deadly COVID-19 while Iran stands at highest deaths per million and India is around 0.5 to 0.7 in the last 10 days. 

During the press conference, Asad Umar explained that smart lockdowns policy went successful. He said there are right now 85 lockdowns being imposed in 20 districts across the country.

Later in a tweet, Asad Umar said, “Due to significant decline in the spread of COVID-19 cases, to allow citizens to enjoy the magnificent natural beauty of Pakistan & people of those areas to earn livelihood which is dependent on a few months Pakistan Opens Tourism. However, the disease is NOT gone. SOP's MUST be complied with.”

Due to significant decline in spread of covid, to allow citizens to enjoy the magnificent natural beauty of Pakistan & people of those areas to earn livelihood which is dependent on a few months, #PakistanOpensTourism. However, disease is NOT gone. SOP's MUST be complied with.

— Asad Umar (@Asad_Umar) August 10, 2020

It is pertinent to note that the president-elect of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Volkan Bozkir on Monday also praised Pakistan’s remarkable success against Covid-19 pandemic and termed it an example for other countries to follow.