Pakistan government admits negligence in handling COVID-19 situation

Islamabad [Pakistan], November 24 : Pakistan Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin on Tuesday admitted that the Imran Khan government was negligent in handling the COVID-19 situation in the country as the administration didn't import enough gas cargoes on time.
Tarin said that, in order to handle the gas crisis in the country, Pakistan had to purchase gas despite the higher prices.
As reported by The News International, Tarin admitted that the government should have purchased gas cargoes on time adding that the country's imports of petroleum and gas touched almost USD 20 billion per year during its high demand.
These imports were around USD 12-13 billion per year before the gas crisis occurred in the country, The News International reported.
In early September, the Islamic country faced a surge in medical oxygen demand as it struggled to turn the tide on the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, local media reported.
In a letter to hospitals, Pakistan Oxygen Limited (POL) -- the country's oxygen-producing company -- expressed its inability to meet the rising demand for oxygen.
POL had said that the situation is beyond their control. "This is a situation beyond our control, to which we are responding to the best of our ability and capacity."
POL had asked the hospitals to make alternate arrangements for oxygen.
In similar developments, the Imran Khan government is also facing flak from residents of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) amid unprecedented price hikes in fuel gas and essential food items.
The rate of inflation in Pakistan is the fourth highest in the world. It comes at a time when the unemployment in the country is high and the wages are stagnant. The prices of fuel and electricity are "unprecedentedly high".