ISLAMABAD
Pakistan on Monday banned public political rallies after recording its highest daily coronavirus infections since July for four days running.
Prime Minister Imran Khan announced the ban, fearing hospitals will be overwhelmed as they were in June if people do not act responsibly.
Imran urged citizens to strictly follow Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to prevent the second wave of the coronavirus from wreaking havoc in the country, saying it was time for everyone to “act as a nation.”
The premier has also called upon all political parties to immediately halt gatherings and rallies across the country to stem the spread of second COVID-19 wave.
“We have cancelled our Saturday’s rally and we have decided that any activity which does not affect the livelihood of people should be stopped immediately,” the premier said while addressing the media after a meeting of the National Coordination Committee (NCC) in Islamabad on Monday.
Imran said his party (PTI) has cancelled all political rallies across the country and “I will ask other parties to do the same.”
Several huge religious and anti-government public rallies have been held in major cities in recent weeks.
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