Coronavirus outbreak: Places where SOPs are not followed will be closed, warns PM

(Karachi) Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that he would monitor the SOPs from Prime Minister's office and places where guidelines are not followed will be closed.

Addressing the nation on coronavirus situation in Islamabad on Thursday, he said the government will analyze implementation of SOPs in each province. "If the virus is spreading in a neighbourhood, and people aren't following rules, we will cordon off the area. The Tiger Force will help the administration with this."

He said a spike in death ratio has been witnessed across the country after easing lockdown and restrictions which is a matter of concern. "The people are not taking precautionary measures against the virus and taking it lightly," Imran lamented.

"It will not be a hard time for nations that fight the disease with unity," he stated.

He said the government had realized that coronavirus cases in the country will increase. He added, "The country is passing through hard times but the opposition parties are trying to gain political benefit from the situation."

The prime minister highlighted that opposition wants the country's economy to fail so that they can criticise the government further.

He said the situation in Pakistan is far more better than other states with regards to the disease. He elaborated the country has been saved because a complete and extended lockdown is not enforced.

Referring to a recent international survey, he said it showed that rich people were "not affected" by the pandemic. "I said this from day one, think of katchi abaadis and daily wagers. Why were we saved? Because we did not do a complete lockdown, we opened construction sector early."

He added that the way the government had distributed money was the reason why Pakistan's situation was not like India.

The PM said that there is shortage of ventilators globally and Pakistan is making its own machines to save lives of people. "The country had 28 ventilators but now the numbers has increased over 4,000," he said.