Prime Minister Imran Khan has proposed a 10-point agenda to the world community towards averting economic collapse in the developing countries due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The highly-infectious coronavirus causes the Covid-19 respiratory disease.
Addressing a special session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA), he called for debt suspension till the end of the pandemic for low-income and most-stressed countries, cancellation of debt of the least-developed countries, restructuring of the public sector debt of developing countries, and a general allocation of special drawing rights of $500bn.
The prime minister also proposed concessional financing to lower income countries through multilateral development banks, provision of loans at lower costs, fulfilment of the 0.7% official development assistance commitments, mobilising the required $1.5tn annual investment in sustainable infrastructure, mobilising $100bn per year for climate action in developing countries, and halting of illicit financial outflows from developing to rich countries.
Khan stressed on the need for a collective response to recover from the coronavirus crisis and achieve sustainable development goals.
Alluding to the effects of the pandemic, the prime minister said that the pandemic has infected more than 65mn people and caused the deaths of close to 1.5mn.
He expressed hope that whenever the vaccine is available, it must be offered to everyone.
Khan said that the pandemic has caused immense human suffering and the deepest global economic contraction since the great depression of the 1930s.
In Pakistan, he said, we had a successful policy of smart lockdowns to control the coronavirus pandemic.
The prime minister said that Pakistan’s efforts were aimed at ensuring that not only do are people saved from the coronavirus, but also from dying from hunger.
Khan said that the government provided a relief package of around $8bn to support the poor and to keep the economy afloat.
He said that so far the strategy has worked, but now the Pakistan government is confronted with a far more aggressive second wave of the coronavirus.
The prime minister said that Pakistan is facing now the challenge of maintaining and reviving economic growth while dealing with the rising coronavirus caseload.
Meanwhile, Information Minister Shibli Faraz has said that Prime Minister Khan’s proposal of the 10-point agenda at the UNGA speaks volume about his leadership qualities.
In tweets yesterday, the minister said the prime minister has proven himself to be a voice for the poor, demanding in unambiguous terms the establishment of a Rs500bn fund and cancellation of loans of the poor countries, as well as recovery of plundered amount from corrupt politicians and criminals.
Faraz claimed that Prime Minister Khan is the only world leader demanding equitable provision of vaccine to all the Covid-19-affected countries, adding that the world is emulating Pakistan’s successful strategy against the first wave of the coronavirus.
Prime Minister Khan meanwhile had a conversation by telephone with the UK’s Prince Charles, exchanging views on bilateral relations and issues of mutual interest, including Covid-19, climate change, and biodiversity.
Khan expressed condolence on the loss of lives in the UK due to Covid-19.
He briefed Charles on steps taken by the Pakistan government to address the challenges of climate change, highlighting the launching of “Eco-System Restoration Initiative”, including the 10bn Tree Planting Project, as well as establishment of national parks under the Protected Areas Initiative.
The prime minister extended an invitation to Charles and his wife, the duchess of Cornwall, to visit Pakistan.