PM Imran, Bill Gates discuss situation arising out of COVID-19

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday made a telephone call to Microsoft Founder and Co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Bill Gates, during which a discussion on situation arising out of the coronavirus outbreak was held, ARY News reported.

During the telephonic conversation, PM Imran Khan lauded the support provided by the Gates Foundation and other international partners to curb the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

He said that Pakistan is facing the dual challenge of overcoming coronavirus pandemic and saving the people from hunger.

PM Imran apprised Bill Gates that his government had launched a relief package worth $8 billion to mitigate the sufferings of people amid coronavirus lockdown. He said that the timely steps tanken by the government helped contain the spread of the virus in the country.

Earlier on April 24, reiterating his stance on the coronavirus lockdown, Prime Minister Imran Khan had stressed that the country will have to return to normalcy while pushing ahead with its fight against the pandemic.

Speaking to a group of YouTube vloggers, who had called on him, he said he could not say anything about when the country would get rid of the virus.

The prime minister had said Pakistan had not yet received any aid from the international community for its fight against the coronavirus that posed a huge challenge to the country.