Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan tests positive for Covid-19

Renowned nuclear scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan on Thursday was admitted to a military-run hospital after testing positive for Covid-19.

According to his spokesman, the 85-year-old was admitted at Khan Research Laboratories hospital on August 26, after he tested positive for Covid-19, Associated Press of Pakistan reported.

Qadeer has been placed on a ventilator in the hospital as his health condition deteriorated due to the infection.

"The news, of Fakhr-e-Pakistan (Proud of Pakistan) Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan, shifted to a ventilator is very disturbing and sad," Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif tweeted.

He requested the nation to pray for Qadeer's early recovery.

Dr Qadeer was born in 1936 in Bhopal, India, and immigrated along with his family to Pakistan in 1947, after the partition of the sub-continent.

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AQ Khan is considered the pioneer of Pakistan nuclear programme. He led the country's nuclear programme for some 25 years and is considered a national hero.

Pakistan faces 4th wave of Covid-19

Pakistan is currently reeling from a deadly fourth wave of the pandemic, logging 4,103 fresh cases and 89 deaths over the past 24 hours, the ministry said on Thursday.

The country's overall caseload and death toll stand at 1.16 million and 25,978, respectively.

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Pakistan has been recording daily cases between 3,000 and 4,000 for the past several weeks, putting pressure on the already over-burdened hospitals, especially in the big cities.

Islamabad has imposed a new set of restrictions, which includes the closure of amusement parks, shrines, gyms, and cinemas, and a ban on indoor ceremonies and dining at restaurants.

All commercial activities – except for essential services – end at 8 p.m., whereas they are closed for two days a week.

Educational institutions across the country remain open for three days a week with 50% attendance.

The country has so far inoculated over 58 million people out of a total 208 million population.