1st  October 2021
 
 
Rt Hon Jacinda Arden
Prime Minister
Executive Wing
Parliament Buildings
Wellington 6160
 

Dear Prime Minister
 
REQUEST TO REMOVE PAKISTAN FROM THE "VERY HIGH RISK" CATEGORY
 
On behalf of hundreds of fellow Kiwi-Pakistanis living in Aotearoa as law-abiding citizens, I am writing this letter of appeal to the Government to consider reviewing the “Very High-Risk Category” to de-list Pakistan from the list.
 
It is the responsibility of every Government to protect its citizens from the scrouge of Covid-19 and curtail its spread. While we completely understand and appreciate these reasons, we, however, feel that it may be time for the Government to re-visit the listing of Pakistan in the “Red List” given the following considerations:
 
(a)         Pakistan is a developing country that has taken extreme and intelligent measures to deal with the Covid-19 spread.
 
(b)         The United Kingdom (as an advanced country in the world) has removed Pakistan from the “Red List” established by the UK government.  The main reason for this decision is the low ratio (3% approx.) of Covid positivity in Pakistan. It is significant to note that this is way less than the most developed countries of the world.
 
(c)         While the travel restrictions during the pandemic are pivotal to protect the country from spreading the Covid, it has undoubtedly created a substantial level of stress and anxiety throughout the world.  However, if the spread level in a country has been reduced drastically (as in the case of Pakistan), it is only prudent that travel measures are relaxed so that commercial and social travels can be resumed, albeit in a controlled manner.
 
Please accept my thanks for considering my request, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.
 
Yours faithfully,
 
Khalyd Baloch
A Pakistani / Social Worker