Islamabad: A large number of children under 10 have tested positive in Sindh and the provincial government in view of the seriousness of the situation is considering the re-imposition of a two-week strict lockdown.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has also recommended a two-week lockdown in the province besides strengthening public health measures such as quarantine, isolation, physical distancing and patient contact tracing etc.
Pakistan reported on Thursday a total of 119,536 cases of coronavirus — 5,834 in 24 hours — while the number of deaths recorded at 2,356 — an increase 101 in one day. A total 26,573 tests were conducted across the country of which 5,834 new cases were reported.
Children exposed to COVID-19
Adviser to Chief Minister Sindh on Law & Environment and Spokesperson for the Sindh government, Senator Murtaza Wahab on Thursday announced on his official Twitter account that 1,712 children under the age of 10 have tested positive so far in the province while four have already passed away.
“As of today, 1712 children under the age of 10 have been infected with #COVID19 in #Sindh. Unfortunately, 4 such children have passed away. Our carelessness has exposed our dearest children. Please it’s not too late to change, please stay home for ur children and elders.”
He urged people to stay home for their own lives for the lives of their children as well as elderly members of the family.
PTI’s member Sindh Assembly tests positive
Member of the Provincial Assembly (MPA) Sindh and President of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Karachi, Khurram Sher Zaman also tested positive on Thursday. In a tweet Zaman shared with his followers that he was not feeling well for quite some and had quarantined himself. “Today, I decided to undergo COVID-19 tests and was found infected with virus,” he said.
Interestingly, Khurram Sher Zaman has been opposing the implementation of another lockdown in Sindh, particularly Karachi. Last month, the MPA had said that the PTI would stand against the PPP government if it decided to further extend the lockdown in Sindh’s urban areas.
All PML-N’s front line leaders infected
Pakistan’s main opposition party Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has criticized the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) the country’s anti-graft watchdog for repeatedly summoning the party’s president and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif to its headquarters in corruption cases in the days when coronavirus is at its peak.
According to the party, Sharif during his appearance before the NAB officials was exposed to the virus and ultimately tested positive on Thursday.
“NAB was informed multiple times in writing that Shahbaz Sharif has suffered from cancer and compared to other people, his immunity system is weak,” Ataullah Tarar a party leader in Punjab said at a press conference adding Sharif’s life was put in danger by NAB. Tarar who who himself was infected with virus and recovered recently said the party president had offered to respond to NAB’s questions on video link but the agency insisted Sharif to appear in person. “If something happens to his life, the government and NAB would be responsible,” he warned.
Earlier, PML-N’s senior vice president and former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Secretary General of the party Ahsan Iqbal, party’s spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb, her mother MNA Tahira Aurangzeb and a number of members of Parliament all tested positive. They have put themselves into self isolation for a period of two weeks.
