World / Pak tracing COVID-19 suspects using ISI system meant to track terrorists: PM

New Delhi: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has disclosed that his government was using a system, originally meant to track down terrorists by the spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), to trace the suspected novel coronavirus cases in the country, as the number of the Covid-19 patients rose to 10,982.

“It [tracking system] was originally [meant to trace] terrorists but we’re using it to tackle corona,” Imran Khan said during the live Ehsaas Telethon to raise funds to support the people worst hit by the pandemic. Imran Khan said that “tracking and testing is the only way to reopen businesses”.

The ISI is Pakistan’s powerful spy agency. In 1950, it was officially given the task of safeguarding Pakistani interests and national security, inside and outside the country.

“A comprehensive briefing covering the entire spectrum of internal and external challenges was given to the Prime Minister including the impact of Covid-19,” according to a statement issued by the PM Office. During Imran Khan’s Ehsaas telethon, the prime minister said that efficient tracking and testing of coronavirus infected persons was the only way to reopen the closed businesses in the country.

Responding to various questions, Imran Khan said that a lockdown for an indefinite period was not an option and any decision about the shut down should be for “all Pakistanis, and not just the elite”.

“The government is looking at the option of smart lockdown to wisely provide relief to the people badly hit by the closure of the country,” Imran Khan said.

Imran Khan said that “even countries like the US are thinking to relax the restrictions on the people” and added that every country was making adjustments according to the local situation.

Imran Khan also warned the people to take the threat of virus seriously and do not believe in false notions that some of them have strong immunity.

He said that his government was giving cash support without thinking of political affiliations of the people and without any kind of political interference. He said that majority of people benefiting from the cash distribution were in Sindh province where “we don’t have a government”.