Published 08:26 IST, April 12th 2020
Imran Khan says 'Covid will claim only one-&-half-men'; netizens don't know what to think
Making bizarre claims, a video of Pakistan PM Imran Khan surfaced in which he said that 'only one and a half men' will die of 'the disease'
As total tally of coronavirus cases in Pakistan rose over 5000, and country's prime minister Imran Khan remained defiant on nationwide lockdown decision, an old video of him surfaced on social media in which he has made bizarre claims. Pakistani journalist Naila Inayat shared the video in which Imran Khan says that 'the disease will kill only one and a half man'. While the time and location of the video are not specified, netizens blasted the Pakistani PM for his blunder.
Another video surfaced in which Imran Khan said that it is not difficult for Pakistan to make ventilators, as it has made atom bomb.
Meanwhile, speaking at a press conference, Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar said that Khan will take a decision after his meeting with the National Coordination Committee on COVID-19, comprising senior officials of all provinces and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). "We will make a national decision on the lockdown," said Umar. However, he added that also said that the country would suffer about Rs 1,400-1,500 billion shortfall in revenues due to the nationwide shutdown.
Imran Khan rules out lockdown possibility
Ruling out the possibility of lockdown, Imran Khan had earlier targeted the Indian government for its implementation of a pan-India lockdown. Claiming it to be a 'hasty decision', Imran Khan said that 'Indian government apologised for their unplanned decision.' He said that his country is taking its lesson from India and it will fight the war against coronavirus with all the 'wisdom' it has. Imran Khan went on to call his country 'most charitable', he said that Pakistan's young population can fight the pandemic.
Coronavirus in Pakistan
The official data posted by the Ministry of National Health services on its website showed that the worst-hit Punjab province reported 2,414 COVID-19 cases, Sindh 1,318, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa 697, Balochistan 220, Gilgit-Baltistan 215, Islamabad 113 and PoK 34. It also reported that 762 patients have recovered so far. Seventy-seven patients have died including five in the last 24 hours. Authorities have so far conducted 57,836 tests, including 2,457 in the last one day. The official data showed that 52 per cent patients were those who had travelled abroad while 48 percent were local transmissions.
Updated 08:26 IST, April 12th 2020