China’s Gift Of 500,000 Masks Causes Conflict Between PTI, PPP
Amid the coronavirus outbreak in the country, a war of words has begun between the ruling party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) over the 500,000 masks donated by China-based Alibaba and Jack Ma foundation.
PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari thanked the Jack Ma Foundation and Chinese government for helping out the people of Sindh in crucial times. He said CM Sindh Murad Ali Shah’s decision to donate 60% of total masks to all other provinces is ‘classic PPP’.
Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah also tweeted in this regard, he said on instructions of the party chairman, the government of Sindh would distribute the donated masks among all other provinces. “These are difficult times and we can only succeed if we fight together for a corona-free Pakistan,” he added.
We realise that this fight isn’t limited to Sindh. On instructions of Chairman @BBhuttoZardari , Sindh govt is distributing these face masks to all provinces, GB, AJK and Isb. These are difficult times and we can only succeed if we fight together for a #CoronaFreePakistan https://t.co/14RPmwOgN7
— Murad Ali Shah (@MuradAliShahPPP) March 25, 2020
In response to Bilawal’s tweet, Dr Shahbaz Gill, the former spokesperson of CM Punjab Usman Buzdar said that PPP has surpassed all limits to get ‘media goodwill’. He further claimed that the 500,000 were donated for all the country, not only for Sindh province. “Please don’t score points and get the record straight. You [PPP] was being stubborn to get 200,000 masks,” he added.
افسوسناک ٹویئٹ۔آپ لوگ میڈیا گڈوِل لینے میں کچھ آگے نکل گئے ہیں۔ اب رک جائیں۔یہ پانچ لاکھ ماسک پورے پاکستان کے لئیے آئے تھے۔آپکا حصہ پچاس ہزار تھا۔ باقی سب کا بھی حصہ تھا۔یہ کراچی آئے۔آپ نیں زد کی کہ آپکو دو لاکھ چاہئیں۔براہ مہربانی ریکارڈ درست فرما لیں اور پوائنٹ سکور نہ کریں https://t.co/xshYsgvxWI
— Dr. Shahbaz GiLL (@SHABAZGIL) March 25, 2020
However, an invitation letter has been doing the rounds on social media claiming that ‘after the coordination’ the masks would only be donated among the people of Sindh. Also, only CM Sindh and other provincial government officials were invited at Karachi Airport to receive the donations.
The Chinese Embassy in Pakistan took to Twitter on Wednesday and said, “Epidemic Relief Materials donated to Pakistan from Alibaba Foundation and Jack Ma Foundation has been loaded in a cargo plane in China.”
#COVID_19 Epidemic Relief Materials donated to Pakistan from Alibaba Foundation and Jack Ma Foundation has been loaded in a cargo plane in China. The first batch of N95 and surgical masks will arrive at Karachi today. #ChinaPakSolidarity @ForeignOfficePk pic.twitter.com/VfxmPmn5gy
— Chinese Emb Pakistan (@CathayPak) March 25, 2020
Naya Daur Media (NDM) is a bi-lingual progressive digital media platform aiming to inform and educate Pakistanis at home and abroad. Subscribe to our YouTube channel here Follow us on Facebook Twitter and Instagram