Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar on Thursday wished PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari well after it emerged that the latter had tested positive for coronavirus. “I hope and pray that Bilawal will recover soon,” Asad Umar wrote on Twitter, urging the PPP chairperson to ask everyone — especially his party’s leaders, voters and workers — to strictly adhere to the COVID-19 precautions. Here is why Bilawal must ask his workers not to attend PDM’s upcoming rally.
امید اور دعا ہے کے بلاول جلد صحتیاب ہوں گیں . یہ بھی امید کرتا ہوں کے خود کرونا کے مرض میں مبتلا ہونے پر اپنی پارٹی کے تمام لیڈران ، ورکرز اور ووٹرز کو اور بھی زیادہ احتیاط کرنے اور ڈاکٹر صاحبان کی بتائی ہوئی حفاظتی تدابیر پر عمل کرنے کی تاکید کریں گے
— Asad Umar (@Asad_Umar) November 26, 2020
“Now that you have contracted coronavirus, I also hope that you will urge all the leaders, workers, and voters of your party to be extra careful and follow the precautions as advised by the doctors,” the federal minister added.
PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz also wished Bilawal well, sending him “prayers and best wishes”.
May Allah restore you to perfect health soonest. Ameen. Prayers and best wishes. https://t.co/xMcxDAkPhe
— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) November 26, 2020
On the other hand, Maryam Nawaz has said that she will attend the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) Multan rally after the instructions of Nawaz Sharif. According to details, PML-N vice president Maryam Nawaz said in her statement that Nawaz Sharif has directed her to forget personal grief and participate in the PDM Multan rally.
Earlier in the day, the PPP Chairman had announced on Twitter that he had tested positive for the novel coronavirus, saying he was “self-isolating with mild symptoms”.
Ministers and other leaders of the incumbent ruling party, the PTI, also joined in sending well wishes to Bilawal Bhutto after he contracted the coronavirus.
“I hope PDM leadership will review their insistence on public gatherings and cancel Jalsas,” wrote Science and Technology Minister Fawad Chaudhry.
Best wishes and prayers for early recovery, I hope PDM leadership will review their insistence on public gatherings and cancel Jalsas, Virtual Jalsas can be good alternative #COVIDSecondWave https://t.co/cXaOT5Szy1
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) November 26, 2020
“Virtual Jalsas can be a good alternative,” he added, using the #COVIDSecondWave hashtag.
Information Minister Senator Shibli Faraz prayed for Bilawal’s quick recovery and appealed to the Opposition to take care of everyone’s health.
اللہ تعالیٰ بلاول بھٹو زرداری کو شفاء کاملہ عطا فرمائے ۔ بلاول سمیت تمام مریضوں کے لئے نیک تمناؤں کا اظہار کرتے ہیں۔وباء سے محفوظ رہنے کیلئے احتیاط لازم ہے۔ کرونا لیڈرز اور عوام میں کوئی تفریق نہیں کرتا۔اپوزیشن راہنما خدارا ایک دوسرے کی صحت اور عوام کی زندگیوں کا خیال کریں۔
— Senator Shibli Faraz (@shiblifaraz) November 26, 2020
“Caution is necessary for everyone to stay safe from the pandemic [as] coronavirus makes no distinction between people of the nation and its leaders,” Faraz said.
Read More: COVID-19: Why did the Supreme Court of Pakistan ignore experts’ opinion?
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Minister Taimur Khan Jhagra advised everyone sitting with the PPP chief at the PDM gathering in Peshawar to get themselves tested.
COVID-19 cases in Pakistan: Should PDM hold the rally?
In Pakistan, the maximum positivity rate had reached 23pc in June as it had increased from 6pc in May, while the positivity rate was brought down to 1.7pc in September.
There had also been an increase in the number of infections reported at educational institutions across the country, with 19pc of total Covid-19 cases being recorded among students. The positivity ratio in educational institutions rose from 1.8pc to 3.3pc during the last week — an increase of 82pc.
Three days ago, Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood has said that all educational institutions, including schools, colleges and tuition centers, will close down from November 26 (Thursday). Educational institutions had faced a six-month closure from March to September due to Covid-19 and now in the pandemic’s second spell, education ministry officials had said the closure had become imminent due to the rising numbers of cases.
It is important to note that despite the high positivity rate in Peshawar, PDM leadership held the rally. While highlighting the statistics of virus spread in KP capital, Asad Umar said that the positivity rate of COVID-19 stood at 13.39 percent in Peshawar and 202 patients were in critical condition.
He added that 50 patients are put on low flow oxygen; 134 on high flow; 18 persons have been put on ventilators and 14 patients were brought to the medical facilities in critical condition. But the PDM held the rally.
Read More: COVID-19 in Pakistan: Is the government going to re-impose lockdown?
After the rally, PPP’s chairman’s political secretary was tested positive for COVID-19. As a result, Bilawal went into self-isolation. Sources claim that Bilawal is a little unwell and may not attend his sister’s engagement ceremony scheduled to be held on November 27.
What hypocrisy is this? For sister's wedding negative COVID19 PCR test is mandatory for attendance & for Multan Jalsa, come one come all, just wear a mask! Y not have wedding guests just wear a mask too instead of emailing covid test results? Alas, children of a lesser God indeed pic.twitter.com/w571HlPkyd
— Meher Bokhari (@meherbokhari) November 24, 2020
As the Zardari family has made it mandatory COVID-19 report for the guests attending Bakhtawar’s engagement ceremony. Meher Bokhari, a senior anchorperson, slammed the PDM leadership for this ‘hypocrisy’.