Speaking to a private news channel, he asked the opposition parties, including Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, to avoid “doing” politics over the issue of Covid-19, the respiratory disease caused by the coronavirus.
The minister said relief packages announced by the government are for the whole country rather than any province or area.
Faraz said that deserving families from across the country, including Sindh, which is ruled by the PPP, are receiving Rs12,000 each transparently under the Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme.
The minister said that the government is following the concept of a smart lockdown keeping in view the difficulties faced by daily wagers and labourers.
Faraz stated that the federal government is handling the pandemic better than many other countries despite the many challenges.
Replying to a question, the minister said that improvement in health sector is responsibility of the provincial governments after the passage of 18th Amendment.
Meanwhile, Punjab Governor Chaudhry Mohamed Sarwar has said that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) government is making an all-out effort to protect all segments of the society as the country fights the coronavirus pandemic.
Speaking to different delegations at the Governor House, he stressed that all political and religious parties should play their due role in handling the pandemic and the economic meltdown in the country.
“Masses should take precautionary measures to stay protected from the dreadful coronavirus,” he said, adding that the pandemic had caused severe economic crisis across the globe, with some 12mn people losing their jobs in Pakistan alone.
He added that the federal and Punjab government are taking all possible measures to help them, besides providing them food aid.
“The war against coronavirus pandemic is not an issue of a person or a political party, but the whole nation. So it is high time that all Pakistanis join hands and defeat the pandemic,” Sarwar said.
He added that this is not the time for “petty” politicking, and that the political and religious parties should create awareness and educate the masses about protective measures related to the coronavirus.
The governor added that he is in collaboration with Punjab Development Network, comprising 60 welfare organisations, and is working to provide rations to some 500,000 poor families.
According to a survey of 904 respondents conducted by the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) between April 15-30, 26% of the female workforce has either been terminated or suspended: 14% lost their jobs permanently and 12% were temporarily laid off during the pandemic.
Of the women who were terminated, the largest proportion is made up of factory workers.
Separately, 51% of the total respondents who were laid off said they were awaiting their dues to be cleared by their employers.
The survey results were released on May 1, Labour Day, with the FAFEN terming them “serious violations of the guidelines issued by the federal and provincial governments” to protect workers’ rights amid the coronavirus lockdown.
It included respondents from Faisalabad, Haripur, Lahore, Sialkot, Peshawar, Rahimyar Khan, Quetta, and Karachi, with their professions ranging from factory workers, salespersons, and employees of private schools, hospitals, and other commercial establishments.
Seven per cent were daily wagers, 85% were paid monthly, and 8% on a weekly or bimonthly basis.
Of those who were let go by their employers, 78% were unaware if they had been registered with any social security organisation.
On the other hand, 13% noted that they were registered with Employees’ Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI), and 1% with the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP).
A mere 28% of the women workforce were able to apply for support under the PTI-government’s Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme.
