Faced with a failing economy, Pak PM urges world leaders to treat Covid-19 as a global problem

New Delhi: Pakistan economy is in doldrums and Imran government is in disarray over tackling Covid-19 pandemic. It imposed lockdown to curb the spread of Coronavirus but that took heavy toll on the state of economy, leaving crores unemployed and businesses shut.

Faced with Covid crisis and failing economy, Imran govt on Thursday urged the developed world to find a solution to the Covid-19 problem, saying that it was a ‘global problem’.

Speaking of those worst-hit by the outbreak in Pakistan, Imran said almost 150 million of a total of 220 million people were “vulnerable”, adding that these were daily wagers whose families were reliant on the earnings to feed themselves, reported Geo News.

“We ran one of the biggest cash handout programmes in the country’s history. But the problem is, we have falling exports, falling remittances […] big, ambitious plans to revive the tourism sector — all this took a nosedive,” Pak PM said.

‘Developed economies must help developing nations’

Stressing the need for dealing with the economic problems caused by the COVID-19 pandemic holistically as a global issue, he said that the world would not recover from coronavirus recession without helping the developing countries.

Addressing virtual ‘United Nations high-level event on Financing for Development in era of COVID-19 and Beyond’, he said it is a global issue and a global problem, which needs global solution.

Pleading for the help of developed countries to the developing nations, Imran Khan said it is very important for the developed world at this critical juncture to look after the people of developing countries, who are struggling.

Pak’s $ 8 bn stimulus package fails to shore up economy

Talking about the problems of Pakistan vis-a-vis COVID-19, Imran Khan referred to government’s 8 billion dollars stimulus package and said it is one of the biggest programmes in Pakistan’s history.

He said the govt doled out 8 billion dollars to stimulate economy and give cash to the most vulnerable section in our society.

The Pak PM welcomed the G-20 for taking the big initiative of giving debt relief to the developing countries.