MPA’s death from virus

These are difficult times for all — more so for those who are in the frontline of fight against coronavirus pandemic

These are difficult times for all — more so for those who are in the frontline of the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. Besides doctors, nurses and paramedics, there are others — like security personnel, charity workers, volunteers, utility services providers, janitors as well as selected government officials and elected representatives — who are performing emergency duties in times of coronavirus lockdowns and putting their lives at risk. While several medical professionals and policemen, besides an army officer, have been martyred in the line of duty, the list of Covid-19 martyrs now also features a parliamentarian.

Shaheen Raza turns out to be the first parliamentarian to lay down her life in the fight against the reigning pandemic. Shaheen, a PTI member of the Punjab Assembly from Gujranwala, had been inspecting quarantine centres for some time, and is understood to have contracted the virus while performing such duties. The 60-year-old female legislator, who was elected on a woman-reserved seat, also suffered from hypertension and diabetes, which is thought to have added to the death risk. On falling ill, she received treatment from private doctors and was then admitted to the DHQ hospital from where she was shifted to Lahore’s Mayo Hospital and breathed her last there.

Just hours after Shaheen departed came the news of the death of a former Balochistan governor, Syed Fazal Agha, from the rampaging coronavirus, at a private hospital in Karachi. Many other politicians — including National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, Sindh Governor Imran Ismail and Sindh Education Minister Saeed Ghani — had tested positive for the virus. While the three mentioned have recovered from the virus, several other politicians and lawmakers are under treatment.

This shows the resolve of all segments of our society in this fight against the deadly microbe. The general public must complement their efforts and fulfill their responsibility by adopting social distancing measures in order to arrest the spread of the virus.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 22^nd, 2020.

Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.