Pakistan walking a 'tightrope' to ensure balance between lockdown and economy: PM.

ISLAMABAD -- Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Saturday Pakistan is walking a 'tight rope' to strike a balance between a lockdown necessary to slow the spread of the coronavirus, and ensuring its people do not die of hunger and the economy does not collapse.

The prime minister, taking to Twitter, said that the incidence of poverty is high in the sub-continent and Pakistan needs to be aware of its people and their situation.

"In the subcontinent, with a high rate of poverty, we are faced with the stark choice of having to balance between a lockdown necessary to slow down/prevent the spread of COVID19 and ensuring people don't die of hunger and our economy doesn't collapse. So we are walking a tightrope," he tweeted.

Simultaneously, the prime minister noted that the government has locked down the educational institutions, malls, marriage halls, restaurants and other places of congregation.

'But, to stop the devastation of the lockdown we have kept our agri sector open and now we are opening up our construction sector,' he mentioned.

The construction industry employs a large chunk of the daily wager workforce.

A day earlier, the premier had announced a relief package for the construction sector, saying that it was necessary to maintain 'a balance' between the lockdown and economic activity.

PM Imran said that persons or entities...