• NCC observes difference in SOPs compliance during first & second wave of pandemic
• Imran cites Covid-19 stats from Multan, Peshawar post-PDM events in two cities

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday urged the opposition to postpone its public meetings for at least two months and said “the rallies will not harm me but endanger the lives of people due to the fast spread of Covid-19”.

“The opposition thinks it can put pressure on me by holding rallies. That is not the case; but the rallies will endanger people’s lives,” he said while addressing the nation on TV after chairing a meeting of the National Coordination Committee on Covid-19.

According to the NCC, 3,138 people tested positive for coronavirus and 56 died of Covid-19 during the last 24 hours. As many as 51 patients died in hospital and five out of hospital.

“These rallies and demonstrations will not make any difference to the government but you (opposition) are putting people’s lives in danger,” the prime minister said. “Who has staged bigger rallies than us? Will they succeed in ousting the government?” he asked.

Mr Khan said when public meetings were held, people came close to one another, increasing chances of the virus spreading.

“When we know that the virus is spreading, the rallies can be staged after two or three months to save the people’s lives,” he added.

The prime minister said he was not afraid of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM)’s rallies but such events would cause spread of coronavirus amid a second wave of the disease.

He said 64 per cent of the beds allocated for coronavirus patients were now occupied in Multan where the PDM staged a rally on Dec 1.

“When people gather [at one place], the virus spreads. After some days after, approximately after a week or 10 days, because there is a timeline, you begin seeing patients at hospitals.”

He said 40pc of beds allocated for Covid-19 patients were occupied in Peshawar where the 11-party opposition alliance had held a public meeting on Nov 22.

The prime minister said 50pc of the beds were occupied in Islamabad. “The national average of Covid-19 beds currently occupied is approximately 40 per cent which means coronavirus cases are increasing,” he added.

Prime Minister Khan warned that with the onset of winter, it would become more difficult to curb the spread of the virus.

“The disease spreads more quickly in indoor environment than open places. In colder months, people gather around heaters therefore chances of the virus spreading increases,” he added.

“If the virus keeps spreading at the current rate during the second wave, then our hospitals will fill up,” he feared.

He said this was the time for nation to take precautions, follow standard operating procedures (SOPs) and cover face.

“The entire world is facing a problem in implementing SOPs during the second wave as in Europe, the people are tired and are resisting. They had enforced a lockdown for a prolonged period,” he added.

The prime minister said winter was coming and the government wanted to save people. “Otherwise our health workers will be affected. It will put pressure on our hospitals and will affect the elderly and those with pre-existing conditions,” he added.

Meanwhile, federal Information Minister Shibli Faraz said at a press conference the opposition parties were so blinded by their lust for power that they did not care what would happen to the people and their livelihood.

“The way they (opposition leaders) are holding public meetings shows that they are incredibly selfish people. They are endangering public health, they are roaming the streets and convincing people to attend their rallies despite the Covid-19 situation,” Mr Faraz said, adding that the opposition was now at a “dead end”.

On the other hand, despite the government’s warning, the opposition has announced that it will stage the next rally of its anti-government campaign in Lahore on Dec 13 and accused the government of using the virus as an excuse to suppress its voice.

Moments before the prime minister’s address, PML-N vice president Maryam Nawaz invited Lahore’s residents to “support Nawaz Sharif” by showing up at Minar-i-Pakistan on Sunday. She was speaking at a PML-N rally in the city.

NCC meeting

The National Coordination Committee (NCC) on Covid-19 on Thursday, while reviewing sector-wise situation in the country, observed that there was a huge difference in SOPs compliance level during the first and second wave of the pandemic.

Mosques, public transport, shops and industries were identified as major sectors in which violations of SOPs were being observed.

The NCC meeting was told that the representatives of the provinces were of the view that masses and different sectors, which followed SOPs during first wave, were no more interested in social distancing now.

The provinces were asked to ensure that the health guidelines were followed.

Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar told Dawn that the meeting was told that during the first wave of Covid-19, mosques were implementing social distancing but now they had stopped following the directive that there should be distance between two persons. During the first wave, public transport was allowed to take passengers on 50 per cent seats of a vehicle. However, during the second wave this directive was not being implemented, he said.

Mr Umar said it was unfortunate that shops were also not implementing health guidelines and customers without wearing masks could be seen at majority of shops.

“Though there is improvement at hospitals but in industries, situation regarding implementation of the SOPs has deteriorated,” he said.

When asked the reason, the minister said the chief secretaries of the provinces had told a meeting of the National Command and Operation Center that the people were not listening to the administration.

“As, contrary to the first wave, some sectors are open during the second wave and, as a result, representatives of closed sectors are not ready to buy the argument that some sectors should be closed and others should remain open,” he said.

Mr Umar said during the first wave political and religious leadership was on one page on the SOPs but now they were flouting the guidelines.

“Moreover masses are no more afraid of the disease as they don’t care about wearing masks and following the SOPs,” he said.

Published in Dawn, December 11th, 2020