Over 7% of K-P lawmakers infected with coronavirus

PESHAWAR: Another three provincial assembly lawmakers tested positive for the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) on Sunday, taking the total number of MPAs who have so far contracted the disease to 20 - or over seven per cent of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Assembly.

Apart from the infected, at least one MPA, Jamshid Kakakhel, has died of the virus so far.

Of those who tested positive on Sunday were two MPAs of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) including Dr Sumera Shams and Babar Saleem Swati from Mansehra.

The third lawmaker to test positive was the Awami National Party (ANP) MPA Laiq Muhammad Khan from Torghar.

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Reports from the public health reference laboratory showed that swabs samples of Dr Shams and Saleem Swati and ANP’S MPA Liaq Muhammad Khan were taken on Saturday and their reports were received on Sunday (today).  After testing positive, these MPAs and their families have restricted their activities and have been quarantined at their houses.

Earlier, K-P Assembly Speaker Mushtaq Ahmed Ghani had also tested positive for the virus.

Speaking to The Express Tribune on Saturday, Ghani had confirmed that he, and two members of his family - including his daughter and son-in-law - had contracted the virus.

They have isolated themselves and have taken all precautionary measures, he added. Ghani had further said that he will remain in quarantine but was hopeful of presiding over the budget session of the provincial assembly scheduled for later in the week.

Last week, PTI MPA Zeenat Bibi, ANP MPA Faisal Zeb Khan and Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal MPA Salahuddin had been infected with the virus.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 15^th, 2020.