LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar has been tested positive for the coronavirus on Monday, officials said.

The chief minister's focal person for digital media, Azhar Mashwani, said: "Buzdar has mild symptoms (fever and flu) since last night and is in self-isolation as per the advice of doctors."

Earlier, he said that doctors advised CM Buzdar to take rest.

Punjab has reported 505 fresh coronavirus cases and 34 deaths in the last 24 hours taking the provincial tally of cases to 131,933 and death toll to 3,638.

With 1,680 more recoveries, Pakistan's total recoveries have reached to 409,082. As many as 2,403 virus patients are stated to be in critical condition. The number of coronavirus patients in Lahore is 64679.

The CM Usman Buzdar was feeling himself uneasy due to high fever and cough. He has also undergone coronavirus test, however, the report is awaited till the filing of this report. A team of doctors also checked the CM and advised him to take rest.

The CM has cancelled all his engagements and will stay in the quarantine till the arrival of the coronavirus test results.

However, the CM in a statement said the PDM's attempt to politicise the coronavirus has ended in a fiasco. Regrettably, the insensitive politicians have left no stone unturned to put the lives of the people at stake for their temporal benefits, he added.

In a statement, the CM said the PDM is facing the consequences of its selfishness as people have left the opportunist cabal for its apathetic behaviour in the backdrop of the coronavirus.

He said the journey of development and prosperity will continue under the leadership of PM Imran Khan and the PDM could not stop it.

Special Assistant to CM on Information, Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said that PDM leadership is facing the consequences of its transgressions.

In a statement, she said the heir-apparent of the house of Sharifs and her bondwomen are upset due to their consecutive failures and time is not far when PDM's internal skirmish will be exposed to the public.

She asserted that looters and turncoats have no future nor would the people be deceived by them. In fact, the anarchistic politics has failed before the service-oriented approach and policies of the PM Imran Khan and Chief Minister Punjab, she added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020