‘When we sleep, virus sleeps’: Pakistan politician’s claims about coronavirus leave netizens confused
Netizens troll preacher Fazalur Rehman for his claims about COVID-19
Pakistani religious leader and head of JUI-F, Maulana Fazalur Rehman’s claims about coronavirus have left netizens scratching their heads.
In an undated video going viral on social media, Rehman suggested that COVID-19 “sleeps” while a patient rest.
“Doctors tell me, you should sleep more,” he said.
“The more we sleep, the more the virus sleeps. It won’t harm us. When we sleep it sleeps, when we die, it dies,” the former member of the National Assembly added during his address.
He claimed doctors had suggested this method of battling the virus.
A tweet with the clip posted by journalist Naila Inayat, @nailainayat, has been viewed almost 40,000 times.
The politician’s comments inspired memes and jokes online.
Tweep @DrMatikhan wrote: “Professor Dr. Fazal ur Rehman. Mbbs [Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery]. Fcps (infectious diseases) [Fellow of College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan].”
Twitter user @Nkt31997603 asked: “Sir, which medical or scientific concept can define this logic?”
Rehman, a staunch critic of Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), recently criticised Pakistan’s prime minister, Imran Khan, for “mishandling” the coronavirus outbreak.
He also claimed that deaths caused due to heart and liver ailments in Pakistan were mislabeled as ‘coronavirus-related deaths’ to create an atmosphere of fear and accused the government for overall fear-mongering.