ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Friday the country was deploying its army to help civilian law enforcement agencies implement coronavirus health safety measures to stem the spread of the disease as the country batters a third wave, with 5,870 people testing positive and 144 dying in the last 24 hours.
The announcement came after Khan met officials for a meeting of the National Coordination Committee (NCC) on COVID-19 today to devise government policy to tackle rising infection numbers.
“I have asked the Pakistan Army to come on the streets along with the police to enforce SOPs [standard operating procedures] as people are neither scared [of the virus] nor taking enough precautions,” the prime minister said in a televised briefing to the nation, flanked by his pandemic response chief Asad Umar and chief health advisor Dr Faisal Sultan.
Khan warned the nation it could face the same situation as India in the next two weeks if rules were not followed.
On Friday, India reported the world’s highest daily tally of coronavirus cases for the second day in a row, surpassing 330,000 new cases amid a nationwide shortage of oxygen supplies.
“The situation in our hospitals isn’t like that of India as we increased the capacity of our hospitals during the first wave of the virus,” Khan said. “I appeal to you to follow SOPs and wear masks …. We will have to lockdown the cities if the situation doesn’t improve.”
Khan said his government was trying to procure more COVID-19 vaccines despite a shortage in the global market, saying even India, the second biggest producer of vaccines, was struggling to meet its domestic demand due to a surge in the number of infections.
“If we get the vaccine today, even then it will take about a year for its impact to show,” he said. “We cannot win this war until the whole nation fights it with unity.”
The government also announced it was imposing new restrictions across the country.
Asad Umar, who heads the National Command and Operation Center that formulates policy on COVID-19, said Pakistan was utilizing 90 percent of its oxygen capacity, of which 75 to 80 percent was being used by the health sector.
“We are working to improve oxygen supply and will import it if the need arises,” he said, adding that the provinces were directed to devise a policy to test and quarantine incoming travelers from abroad.
He also said all schools in districts with more than five percent coronavirus positivity rates would remain closed until Eid Al-Fitr in mid-May, while outdoor dining was banned and only takeaways allowed at restaurants.
“Markets will remain open till 6pm and after that only essential services will be allowed and a specific list of such businesses will be issued,” he said.
The government also closed indoor gyms and slashed office timings to 2pm.
Dr. Faisal Sultan, who advises the prime minister on public health, said the number of critical patients was increasing in hospitals, urging the public to follow health guidelines to reverse the trend.
“The daily positivity rate continuously remains around ten percent,” he said, “which shows the extent of the spread of the disease.”
