Former president Asif Zardari tests positive for Covid-19

Former president and Pakistan People’s Party co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari tested positive for Covid-19 on Thursday.

According to a tweet from Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, his father tested positive for the virus but is “fully vaccinated, [and] boosted”.

Bilawal added that Zardari is “isolating with mild symptoms and undergoing treatment”. He added that "we are praying for his swift recovery".

Zardari’s daughter, Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari also took to Twitter and said that the former president tested positive upon landing in Dubai but his symptoms were “mild”.

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Bakhtawar maintained that Zardari would return once he was recovered, and reminded everyone to “remain precautious” of the disease.

Covid across Pakistan

Covid is on a steady rise across Pakistan as 761 people tested positive – an increase from Wednesday’s tally of 620 positive cases – out of the 20,843 tests conducted in the past 24 hours.

The national positivity ratio stood at 3.65% with eight people succumbing to the disease. 170 patients remained in critical care, the National Institute of Health reported.