Punjab Governor meets Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi

Punjab Governor meets Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in Islamabad on Saturday.

On the occasion, the Governor Punjab Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar, briefed the Foreign Minister about proposed special security arrangements on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha in view of the corona pandemic.

Punjab Governor meets Foreign Minister

Shah Mahmood Qureshi said timely steps taken to cope with the coronavirus pandemic challenge despite limited resources have reduced the spread of the virus.

He said implementation on safety guidelines will have to be ensured to contain the spread of coronavirus.

Earlier, the FM addressed via video-link the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)’s High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Friday.

He underscored international cooperation indispensable to respond to coronavirus pandemic and economic recession.

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said world can promote it well through the United Nations (UN).

He said the world was presently facing the “most serious dual health and economic crisis” since the founding of the UN 75 years ago.

The FM said the pandemic had triggered the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s.

He feared that as the aftermath, the world economy could contract by five percent with 130 million people pushed back into poverty.

He said the UN, under the leadership of Secretary General Antonio Geutteres, and the UN family of organizations, had mobilized admirably to respond to the crisis.

The FM welcomed OCHA’s emergency fund and the UN recovery fund which the Norway proposed.

He also welcomed the response of the Internationa Monetary Fund, World Bank, World Health Organization and other international organizations.

He said the crisis had illustrated the essential unity of humanity besides exposing the unequal structures of global finance, trade and investment.

GTV