Amid Sharp COVID Spike, Government won’t Allow Opposition Gatherings to Risk Lives: Prime Minister

Prime Minister Imran Khan Wednesday said amid the sharp surge in COVID-19 cases with 50 plus deaths during the last 24 hours, the government would not allow the opposition to hold any public gathering to risk the people’s lives and aggravate the situation.

“Over 50 deaths have been reported during the last 24 hours. This has surged from eight, nine to 50 just in two weeks… They are risking the people’s lives. It will not help them. How so many gatherings they hold they will not get any NRO (National Reconciliation Ordinance),” the Prime Minister said while talking to the media here during his daylong visit.

He said considering the COVID-19 surge, the government had also called off its own public gatherings until the downturn of coronavirus curve.

Even the Islamabad High Court had also ruled against the public gatherings just because the virus spread fast with the people coming in close proximity, the Prime Minister added.

Accompanied by Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar and provincial cabinet members, Imran Khan said the pressure was increasing on health facilities and the government was also concerned about the COVID threat to doctors, nurses and other health workers particularly in the cities.

He also urged the nation not to give up precautions to keep up the success the country had achieved during the first wave. Contrary to the neighbouring countries like India, there were fewer deaths in Pakistan, with the economy back on track within minimum possible time.

Pakistan’s economy was progressing at better pace in the Sub-continent with increased exports, well performing industries and appreciating currency, he remarked.

“But I fear, our hospitals will come under pressure and economy will suffer too, if we did not adhere to the precautions,” he said and appealed to the people to keep observing anti-COVID standard operating procedures (SOPs) as they did at mosques, markets and factories.

He urged the Ulema and other opinion makers to take the responsibility of saving the nation form the deadly disease by pursuing the people to follow the SOPs .
The Prime Minister said the government had decided not to close down factories and businesses in order to avert the hunger related deaths while protecting the people from the virus.

He, however, strictly advised the factory owners, shopkeepers and others to ensure observance of the SOPs, particularly wearing the face masks, which, he said, was the easiest tool to contain the pathogen

Imran Khan said currently, Pakistan’s exports were better than those of India and Bangladesh. Faisalabad’s textile industry was running at full capacity and even fell short of the labor, he added.

Source: APP