Bajwa calls for national unity to fight Covid-19

By Muhammad YaseenPublished On 03 Jan 2023

ISLAMABAD: Army Chief Gen Qamar Bajwa on Wednesday called for national unity in the fight against Covid-19 as the Commander of Army’s Air Defence Command, Lt Gen Hamood Uz Zaman Khan, was designated as convener of the newly-established National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC).

“The Commander of Army Air Defence Command, Lieutenant General Hamood Uz Zaman Khan, has been designated as chief coordinator of NCOC,” ISPR said in a statement.

The decision to set up the NCOC was taken a few days ago at a meeting of the National Coordination Committee (NCC), the government’s lead agency in the anti-Covid-19 campaign. The NCOC would act as the implementation arm of the NCC.

One of NCOC’s key functions is to ensure effective coordination between federal and provincial governments in this national campaign against the pandemic.

“Only through a coherent national effort we can address all vulnerabilities before they turn into threats,” he underscored.

He further said that the national effort was all-encompassing and no segment of society could be left out.

The COAS directed troops deployed for the anti-Covid-19 campaign to reach out to every citizen for protecting them from the disease and providing relief.

“The armed forces will stand shoulder to shoulder with the nation to guard the border between people and Covid-19,” he maintained.

“The planned measures, if implemented timely, will contribute to safety and well-being of every Pakistani and society at large,” the COAS further said.