The government of Pakistan has approved an economic relief package of 1,200 billion rupees to deal with the coronavirus outbreak and its repercussions in the country.

The country is now effectively in a state of lockdown, as the battle against the coronavirus outbreak enters a critical phase.

As much as 25 percent of Pakistan's population is made up of the poorest of the poor who cannot afford two meals a day, and experts say if the government is unable to look after this segment, the lockdown will not be successful.

Meanwhile, the military has been deployed in aid of the civilian administration to maintain law and order. 

But flattening the curve of the infection requires a much greater effort and more resources.

'Corona relief tigers'

Prime Minister Imran Khan has announced setting up a special youth force to help the authorities combat the COVID-19 pandemic as the government braces for the "worst-case scenario" in the wake of an increasing number of positive cases in the country, which has now reached 2,000.

Khan has called upon volunteers to join the task force.

Referring to the lockdown by the Chinese government, he said that China delivered food at homes during the lockdown and said Pakistan does not have that kind of an infrastructure.

"So I am announcing that we are developing a special youth force, they will be called the 'corona relief tigers' and will be sent all over Pakistan," said Khan.

The task of this force will be to map out areas where there is a spike in cases and deliver essential supplies.

He said that no government in the world can fight the pandemic alone, and the whole country needs to stand together.

Fund to fight the coronavirus

As the number of cases increase every day, the economic situation is becoming all the more uncertain for a country that has been lurching from one crisis to another.

The government has also established a corona fund to attract donations to look after the underprivileged during the lockdown.

Data of daily wage earners is being gathered and the fund will become a source to help people buy essential items for their families.

With the use of information technology, everyone who wishes to donate will be registered and able to see which areas need the most assistance.

Prime Minister Khan also called out to overseas Pakistanis for help and to donate as much as they can in these difficult times.

China extends help to Pakistan

Amid a global panic and effort to find a way out of the crisis, Pakistan's all-weather friend China has sent a team of eight Chinese doctors to Pakistan to review government's steps taken to check the spread of coronavirus and provide technical support.

The Chinese doctors will remain in Pakistan for two weeks and advise healthcare specialists of Pakistan in the light of their experience and success in battling COVID-19 in China.

Last week, China handed over two tonnes of masks, test kits, ventilators and medical protective clothes to Pakistan, and the Chinese government has also provided four million U.S. dollars to build a separate hospital for coronavirus patients.

Separately, aid from private companies in China has also arrived in Pakistan, that includes donations from the Alibaba Foundation and the Jack Ma Foundation, which have provided 50,000 testing kits and 500,000 masks to Pakistan.