Published 10:54 IST, June 23rd 2020
Pakistan PM Imran Khan's 'khush kismat' Covid clip surfaces, current situation different
Pakistan's Coronavirus cases jumped to 181,088 on Monday after 4,471 new cases were reported during the last 24 hours, while 89 people died of the disease.
Pakistan's Coronavirus cases jumped to 181,088 on Monday after 4,471 new cases were reported during the last 24 hours, while 89 people died of the disease, taking the number of fatalities in the country to 3,590, the health ministry said. The country has seen a massive surge in the Coronavirus cases after it lifted a two-month lockdown, earlier this month.
Put up signs reading 'full house'
At least 100,000 COVID-19 cases have been registered in the country, after Pakistan lifted its lockdown, according to a New York Times report published on June 15. “Pakistanis stricken by the Coronavirus are being turned away from hospitals that have simply closed their gates and put up signs reading “full house.” Doctors and nurses are falling ill at alarming rates, and are also coming under physical assault from desperate and angry families,” notes the report.
Even the World Health Organization (WHO) has urged Pakistan to return to lockdown. However, Prime Minister Imran Khan had said despite rising infections and deaths, the country would need to learn to "live with" the virus to avert pushing tens of millions living on daily wages into destitution.
Now, a video has emerged which has been shared by Pakistani journalist Naila Inayat in which Pakistan PM Imran Khan can be seen praising his government's efforts in controlling COVID-19 crisis quite a few times in the recent months. But, the reality on the ground is different.
'I would have never allowing imposing lockdown'
"If they would have asked me in the morning, I would have never allowed imposing such a lockdown but suddenly everyone panicked and decided to impose a lockdown. People started looking at Europe and Wuhan but the situation was different there and here but we still imposed a lockdown," Imran said in one of his interviews.
In another interview, the Pakistan Prime Minister on April 18 said, "I would want to congratulate everyone because a study said that by April 25, there would be around 50 thousand cases in Pakistan, but our calculation says there will be only 12,000-15,000 cases, so we are in a "khush kismat condition" (lucky condition). I am saying this because look at other countries that how they are reporting around 1000 deaths every day. We are doing much better and our lockdown has succeeded."
Updated 10:54 IST, June 23rd 2020