Coronavirus
Senate body for satisfying parents about children’s health in China
ISLAMABAD: Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Thursday underlined the need for holding a moot in the federal capital to brief parents about the health of their children, stranded in China. “Parents of those students, who stuck up in Wuhan and other cities of China due to Coronavirus outbreak, must be satisfied by apprising them about the well-being of their children,” recommended Senator Shaheen Khalid Butt. “This is easiest and doable way to console those parents who are very much concerned about condition of their children,” he added. The committee, which met here with Hilal-ur-Rehman in the chair, unanimously agreed to the recommendations given by members of committee in that regard. The chairman committee asked the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development to suggest time, date and venue for proposed interactive session among the parents and the government officials. Hilal-ur-Rehman directed the ministry to gather complete data of all the students, studying in Coronavirus-affected Chinese cities. Senator Sassui Palijo asked the officials concerned to apprise the committee about the government’s policy on evacuation of Pakistani students from China. “Evacuation option has not been ruled out and it is still on the cards,” a senior officer in the Overseas Ministry told the committee while assuring them that the Pakistani students in Wuhan were being looked after with due care. He said the decision for prolonging the stay of Pakistani students in China was taken on rational basis as Chinese hospitals were offering 10 times better treatment to Coronavirus patients than Pakistani healthcare facilities. Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director General China Mudassir Tipu said some 100 million people had been quarantined in China and 13 Chinese cities were completely cordoned-off. People were not allowed to visit and leave such areas, he added. He said around 25 countries had repatriated their citizens through diplomatic channels. Nationals of some 80 per cent countries were still not evacuated, he added. Tipu said around 1,000 Pakistani students were residing in two cities of China where Coronavirus broke out. Pakistani Embassy in China and Chinese government was providing all-out facilities to stranded Pakistanis including food, medicines and financial assistance. He said the Foreign Ministry had exchanged 2,000 messages with Pakistani students on ‘Wechat’ and Special Assistants to the Prime Minister Dr Zafar Mirza and Sayed Zulfikar Abbas Bukhari had also held interactive sessions with the students to redress their grievances. - APP