KP to release 121 Taftan returnees tomorrow after they test negative for coronavirus

• KP Health and Finance Minister Taimur Jhagra said these pilgrims completed quarantine and tested negative for coronavirus.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Health and Finance Minister Taimur Jhagra announced on Thursday that the province will release 121 pilgrims who returned from Pakistan-Iran border at Taftan, after they were tested negative for the deadly coronavirus.

In a tweet from his official Twitter handle, the minister said that these pilgrims are being released after they completed quarantine time and tested negative. "As we battle the virus, there will be many low moments, but we must celebrate the successes along the way, and this is as big as they come," Jhagra tweeted.

Tomorrow KP will release 121 Taftan returned #CoronavirusOutbreak suspects after completing quarantine / negative test in DIK & Peshawar.
As we battle the virus, there will be many low moments, but we must celebrate the successes along the way, and this is as big as they come. pic.twitter.com/GyhOGtKMT7

— Taimur Khan Jhagra (@Jhagra) April 2, 2020

In another tweet, the minister said that out of these pilgrims several were from Punjab, Sindh and Islamabad. Despite this, he said, the KP government acted in national interest and did not abandon them.

"Because once here transporting them back would have exposed many other people across Pakistan to risk," he added.

2. We kept these people from Islamabad, Pindi, Karachi, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Jhang & Mandi Bahauddin because it was the right thing to do, despite our limited space & facilities. Because once here transporting them back would have exposed many other people across Pakistan to risk. pic.twitter.com/lzAFFJa7hi

— Taimur Khan Jhagra (@Jhagra) April 2, 2020