BEIJING, Apr. 12: Renowned Chinese scholar Professor Cheng Xizhong said International community should help Pakistan taking care of poor segment of society in wake of COVID-19 spread.  

In an article published by China Economic Net on Sunday, he said these days, the novel coronavirus has invaded slum areas in Pakistan which is a very dangerous signal and should be highly concerned by the international community.   

He noted that about 40% of Pakistan's population lives below the extreme poverty line. A large number of poor people flock into cities, resulting in the increasing number of slums in major cities. Karachi, for example, is the most populous city in Pakistan, with an annual population increase of 800,000 and most of the new arrivals live in slums.  

The Pakistani government and the whole society have been making great efforts to cope with the pandemic and solve the problems of poor people's livelihood.   

While implementing the lock-down measures, the government has been seriously considering and taking effective measures to overcome the livelihood problems of "slum dwellers" and daily income workers.  

In addition to using its own resources, the government has been raising funds because the economic impact of the coronavirus crisis on the poor will "further worsen".   

According to the latest media report, at the call of the government, Pakistan's social organizations, business circles and the rich have been making active contribution these days, which fully reflects the national unity of the country.  

As Prime Minister Imran Khan said, "no federal or provincial government can win the war against coronavirus alone, only national unity can win the war."  

Prof. Cheng said, Pakistan used to be a front-line country in international counter-terrorism war, making extremely important contributions to world and regional peace. Now, the country is increasingly plagued by the pandemic.   

“I strongly believe that at this crucial moment, the international community should lend a helping hand and assist Pakistan to fight the pandemic and solve the livelihood problems of the poor", he added.  

INP/JAVED