ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has appealed to the political parties (belonging to the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) to delay their public gatherings (jalsas) and rallies to save the people from rapidly spreading coronavirus, as their rallies would not have any effect on the government but would only endanger the lives of the people.
The PM, in a televised address to the nation after the National Coordination Committee (NCC) meeting on the coronavirus, said that public meeting and rallies could be held after a couple of months.
The PM said that after the opposition Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) rally in Multan, 64 percent beds of the hospitals were now filled with corona patients.
He said that 40 percent beds were occupied with corona patients in Peshawar while around 50 percent beds in the federal capital had been occupied by corona patients.
"I appeal to the political parties that public meetings (jalsas) would not have any effect on the government except that the PDM public gathering would endanger the lives of the people. There is already pressure on the hospitals following increase in coronavirus cases and the situation demands more care."
The PM said it was evident from the situation in hospitals that the corona patients were increasing, and the time would come when there would be no space for the patients in hospitals, if the situation continued.
"We are now in winter and everyone was aware that the chances of virus spread were greater in winter as people gather at one place. Average 40 percent beds are already filled with corona and if the cases continue to increase like this, the situation would be grave in the hospitals.
"This is the time that as a nation we must be sensitive to the situation and follow the SOPs. With the wearing of mask chances would be less of increase in cases."
The PM said the daily workers would be more affected; therefore, there was a greater need to save the people from second wave of coronavirus.
The PM said that in Hindustan and Iran the situation following second wave was very bad, and the entire world was facing a problem in implementing SOPs during the second wave.
He said the opposition was playing with the lives of the people, as it would affect health workers and those already suffering from diseases and consequently there would be pressure on hospitals.
The PM said when the government requested the religious clerics and business community to implement the SOPs, their response was "the government, on the one hand, had been asking them to follow the SOPs, while on the other public rallies and gathering were being held."
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020
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