Provinces meeting 90pc of coronavirus crisis cost with own resources: Bilawal

KARACHI: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari says the PTI-led federal government lacks the courage to touch the 18th Constitutional Amendment.

In a joint interview with Sindhi news channels, he said the Sindh government’s timely measures averted a situation like Italy, Iran, New York and Wuhan from arising in Pakistan as other provinces followed in the footsteps of the Sindh government and the deadly virus didn’t spread rapidly.

Taking aim at Sindh Governor Imran Ismail, he said the provincial government has been trying to save the lives of citizens while the governor, the federation’s representative in the province, has been opposing the Sindh government’s measures such as lockdown.

Bhutto-Zardari lamented that PPEs have not been provided to doctors and paramedical staffs by the federation so far.

“Some masks and test kits have been provided by the NDMA to the provinces. So far, the provinces are meeting 90 per cent of the costs of the coronavirus crisis with their own resources, but the provinces alone cannot cope with this global pandemic,” he added.

He said due to non-cooperation of the federation, the provinces are facing great difficulties in fighting this deadly pandemic.