Corona cases may reach 70,000 by April 25: Ghulam Sarwar Khan

By News Desk

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan said on Thursday that the number of coronavirus patients in Pakistan may surge to 70,000 by April 25.

Speaking in ‘Capital Talk’ programme of Geo News hosted by Hamid Mir, the minister said that so far 1,800 Pakistanis have arrived from other countries, while 6,200 others are still waiting for arrival. He said he would appeal to the overseas Pakistanis to stay where they are and come back to Pakistan only in case of compulsion.

The minister said that keeping in view the trends of deaths from coronavirus, the death toll may reach 700. He said the government is making a comprehensive planning keeping in view the trend of the pandemic. He said about 20,000 Pakistanis want to return from the United Arab Emirates. He said Pakistani students on visit or business visas are being brought back till April 11. He said the PIA operation will have to be enhanced till April 19 to bring back all stranded Pakistanis.

Ghulam Sarwar said coronavirus spread in Pakistan from Umrah pilgrims, Zaireen from Iran, Tableeghi Jamaat and other people arriving from abroad. He said the Pakistanis having permanent residence in other countries must prefer staying their instead of coming to Pakistan as it will expose them and others to greater risks. He said the welfare institutions must be allowed to distribute ration after proper scrutiny and training. He said the zakat committees and local governments must also be mobilised in this regard. About the sugar crisis report, the minister said Jahangir Tareen hasn’t done anything wrong for which he may be punished. He said open talk will be held on the issue after arrival of final report on April 25.