Striking a delicate balance

The announcement of a comprehensive construction promotion package by prime minister Imran Khan is a decision in the right direction. Elevating this sector's status to an industry would certainly attract more investors and an increased economic activity in relation to construction's allied or auxiliary sectors such as those relating to cement, paints and woodworks. The supply-demand chain created by this development will augur well for the economic prospects of the country. The objective of Prime Minister Imran Khan's construction package effective 14 April is said to be clearly aimed at providing jobs to thousands if not millions of unemployed unskilled and low-skilled labour. The government, in my view, seems to have tried to strike a "delicate" balance between economic output that is directly linked to job creation and the Coronavirus-related risks to human lives. The construction industry will be required to observe all the required SOPs in order to ward off the Coronavirus spread. Any complacency or dereliction in this regard will adversely impact that "delicate" balance. Hence, the need for taking all the required steps aimed fuelling economic activity without contributing to the number of rising positive coronavirus cases in the country.