Prime Minister Imran Khan visited National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) for COVID-19 in Islamabad today.
Prime Minister was briefed by Federal Minister Asad Umar and Major General Asif Mehmood Goraya DG Operations and Planning NCOC about the latest situation of COVID-19, measures taken thus far and future course of action for containment efforts against COVID-19 during the visit.
Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa was present during the visit. Minister for Planning Asad Umar, Minister for Economic Affairs Muhammad Hammad Azhar, Minister for National Food Security Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar, SAPM on Information and Broadcasting Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan, SAPM on Health Dr. Zafar Mirza, SAPM on National Security Dr. Moeed Yousaf and senior civil and military officials were present during the briefing.
National Command and Operation Centre is nerve centre to synergize and articulate unified national effort against COVID-19, and to implement the decisions of National Coordination Committee on COVID-19. The centre is one window operation to collate, analyse and process information based on digital input and human intelligence across Pakistan through all Provinces, AJ& K, GB & ICT dedicated representatives and centres. Recommendations based on information/ data is then processed including health, finance , and all matter related to COVID-19 to NCC for real time projections and timely interventions by NCC headed by PM.
PM directed NCOC to focus on Health Management, Financial Impact, Socio-economic and Food Security, Strategic Communication and awareness while suggesting the calibrated and measured response paradigm with the evolving scenario in the wake of COVID-19.
Prime Minister Imran Khan, while appreciating the establishment of the National Command and Operation Centre and progress made by NCOC so far, said that we need to render untiring efforts for effective enforcement of the decisions through NCOC to contain the outbreak of COVID-19 across the country. The Prime Minister reiterated that there must be no compromise on availability of essential food items and sustainability of supply lines throughout the country. Prime Minister Imran Khan stressed on the need to prioritise the efforts and enforce the decisions of the NCOC through regular and timely meetings under the leadership of Federal Minister Asad Umer. Hoarders and smugglers will be made an example, the Prime Minister warned.
