PM Imran Khan stresses on need to contain COVID-19 in Asia

Prime Minister Imran Khan warned that the coronavirus pandemic might trigger chaos and threaten peace and security in Asia if the infection is not contained.

"Pakistan's first priority at present is to confront and conquer the COVID-19 pandemic," Khan said, virtually addressing Nikkei's 26th Conference on Future of Asia on Friday.

"The virus has created the worst global health, economic, and social crisis in the past 100 years," he added. 

PM Khan underscored the need for immediate measures to make coronavirus vaccines available to everyone at the earliest, saying that "no one will be safe unfortunately until everyone is safe."

He also highlighted that low-income countries and others in financial distress should be provided with fiscal space and liquidity to respond to the impact of the pandemic and to play their part in the revival of economic growth.

The prime minister said he proposed a five-point agenda for debt relief, the Special Drawing Rights and reallocation, larger concessional finance, fulfilment of climate finance commitments, and an end to illicit financial flows from developing countries.

He also welcomed the extension of G20's debt suspension initiative, the agreement to create $650 billion in new SDRs, to expand International Development Association funding, and to expand emergency support programme for multilateral development banks.

The premier stressed that the recommendations of the FACTII panel on illicit financial flows must be implemented.