As the second wave of coronavirus pandemic adds to the global economic volatility, the Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Trade and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood has urged Pakistani exporters to remain vigilant to maintain their presence in the global market.

“COVID-19 is an unprecedented crisis in recent human history with far-reaching implications to the global economy. Recent figures by World Bank are showing that the pandemic has caused GDP contraction around the world, projecting that the major economies of the West, i.e. Japan, South Korea, etc. will post negative growth in GDP,” said Dawood in a statement on Tuesday.

The advisor said that as the world returning to lockdowns, amid the resurgence of COVID-19 cases, the demand for Pakistan’s exports may also be affected.

“I appeal to the exporters to be vigilant and aggressive so that they may be able to sustain their presence in the global markets,” he said.

So far, coronavirus disease has claimed the lives of 6,745 people in Pakistan. Since the pandemic outbreak, a total of 329,375 cases were detected, including Sindh reporting 144,114, Punjab 103,082, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 39,119, Balochistan 15,839, Islamabad 19,181, Azad Jammu and Kashmir 3,849, and Gilgit Baltistan 4,191.