Usman Dar lashes out at Opposition over 'COVID-19 test for engagement ceremony'

ISLAMABAD: Adviser to Prime Minister on Youth Affairs Usman Dar on Saturday lamented the opposition parties for seeking COVID-19 test reports from guests for participating in an engagement ceremony while endangering masses through holding public gatherings, ARY NEWS reported.

He was referring to an invitation card of Bakhtawar Bhutto’s engagement ceremony shared on social media, in which guests were asked to submit a prior report of their COVID-19 test.

“On one hand they are asking COVID-19 test report for participation in engagement ceremony to save their lives while on the other they are endangering lives of masses through holding public gatherings during the pandemic,” he said while speaking during ARY NEWS programme, Aiteraz Hai.

Usman Dar asked if the opposition would ask participants of their public gatherings to bring COVID-19 test reports.

He said that the government is not feeling threatened by the opposition’s rallies. “They are setting a dangerous trend, forcing people against adopting precautionary measures,” he said.

The adviser said that they were only adopting precautionary measures as health experts have warned of a second wave of the virus in the country.

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Responding to his remarks, PPP leader Chaudhry Manzoor while defying the threat of the pandemic said they would hold public gatherings at all cost.

“If there are cases then impose lockdown in these areas,” he said while saying that since they were holding an open-air public gathering in Peshawar therefore it would not contribute to spread in COVID-19 cases.