Spike in COVID-19 cases in Peshawar after PDM rally: KP Govt

PESHAWAR: After Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) public meeting in Peshawar the novel coronavirus spreading rapidly in the city, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government said in a statement on Saturday.

“PDM public meeting led to coronavirus infections in organizers, the leadership and party workers,” provincial government spokesperson Kamran Bangash said.

The public meeting in Peshawar caused hike in number of coronavirus cases, “We pray for the recovery of all patients,” the spokesman stated.

“It is our national responsibility to follow precautionary measures,” he said.

“The government tried its best to convince the opposition to behave with sanity. Now their irresponsible attitude has inflicted irreparable loss,” Bangash observed.

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on November 26, had tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

Confirming the news through his Twitter handle, Bilawal had said that he had tested positive for COVID-19 and had gone into self-isolation with mild symptoms.

Awami National Party (ANP) leader Samar Haroon Bilour also tested positive for the novel coronavirus a few days after attending PDM public meeting in Peshawar.

The local administration had denied permission to Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) rally in Peshawar on Nov. 22, in which violation of the COVID-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs) were reported, with concerns that it will become a super spreader event amid the second wave of the disease in the country.

The Government of Punjab has also decided against issuing permission to the opposition alliance for public meetings in the province.

It is to be mentioned here that the PDM has issued its schedule of holding a public rally in Multan on November 30 and flexing its political muscles at Lahore’s Minar-e-Pakistan ground on December 13.

The opposition parties alliance in its movement against the government had earlier held big public meetings at Gujranwala, Karachi and Quetta.