Imran Khan blames Opposition for 'spreading COVID-19' in Pakistan amid mounting pressure

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday alleged that the Opposition in the country is spreading Coronavirus by holding rallies. After chairing a meeting of the federal cabinet, Imran Khan issued directives for the authorities concerned to ensure strict enforcement of the government-defined SOPs to contain the spread of the disease, Ary News reported.

Imran's 'main problem' in combating Coronavirus

Blaming Opposition parties, Khan said, "they are spreading the Coronavirus by holding rallies". "They are resorting to public meetings in order to hide their corruption," he said. Khan had earlier also hit out at Opposition parties, calling it the "main problem" in combating the spread of the virus.

Pakistan's COVID-19 death toll has risen by 89 in 24 hours for the first time in five months as the country struggles to contain the second wave of the pandemic, Geo News reported. The death toll in the country has reached 8,487. Pakistan recorded 2,885 new COVID-19 infections taking the caseload in the country to 423,179. At present, there are 44,218 active cases in the country. At least 2,486 patients are under critical care with 336 on ventilators, Geo News reported.

'I am a master of holding public meetings'

Meanwhile, Imran Khan said on Tuesday that he was confident he would emerge victorious as he was more confident than the Opposition, according to The News International. In a meeting with senior editors of various newspapers, columnists and anchorpersons, the Prime Minister said the government will hold by-elections as per the Constitution if the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) tendered resignations from the assemblies. He said the local bodies elections in the country will be held after the Senate elections in April 2021.

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Imran Khan reiterated his position that the government was willing to hold a dialogue with the Opposition on every issue but "no talks on giving NRO will be held with the opposition". Referring to protest movements by the opposition’s PDM, the premier said that the government will not use force against them.

"The opposition wants to instigate chaos in the country, they want the government to use force (against it)," he said. He pointed out that in Multan, the Opposition broke the locks of the stadium in such a way as if Nelson Mandela and Che Guevara were coming there. “Let them have fun while I am master of holding public meetings and staging sit-ins,” he quipped.

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