In-person parliament sessions led to spread of virus among lawmakers: Chaudhry

Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry claimed on Wednesday that the coronavirus started infecting the country's lawmakers shortly after the in-person sessions of the parliament.

“Within a week, the coronavirus claimed lives of four parliament members including a provincial minister,” said the federal minister.

He said that currently, 18 lawmakers are still fighting against the virus, urging people to exercise caution to remain safe from the disease.

Fawad Chaudhry said that instead of calling a direct session or summoning one at hotels, virtual sessions should be held of the parliament.

Several high-ranking government functionaries including federal minister Shehryar Afridi, Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser, Sindh Governor Imran Ismail and provincial minister Saeed Ghani also tested positive for COVID-19, while a few lawmakers also lost their lives to the virus.

A day ago, Sindh Minister for Human Settlement Haji Ghulam Murtaza Baloch passed away after battling coronavirus.

Baloch is the second lawmaker in Pakistan who have died from COVID-19 after Shaheen Raza, who succumbed to coronavirus last month. She was a PTI lawmaker in the Punjab Assembly.

On Tuesday, MNA Munir Orakzai died of cardiac arrest just weeks after recovering from COVID-19.

In May, the National Assembly and Senate in-person sessions were held with a difference of a day. The sessions were held to discuss the ongoing situation in the country due to the pandemic.