Daily Times

Eminent British-Pakistani TV host and a Labour councillor from London are among the latest victims who died of COVID-19.

Umar Afzal, television host and presenter, died of coronavirus in Birmingham on Wednesday. Afzal used to present television programs in Pashto, Urdu and English and was a leading figure of Pakistani community in Birmingham. Family sources said that he contracted the deadly virus around a week ago and was home quarantine. They further said his condition deteriorated on Wednesday early morning and within hours passed away.

Likewise, A British-Pakistani Labour Party councillor Shabum Sadiq also died after infected with the COVID-19 during her visit to Pakistan. Shabnum, 39 and mother of five children according to family source travelled to Pakistan to attend a wedding in March. They said that after contracting coronavirus she was admitted to a local hospital and sadly died on Tuesday after being on ventilator for 24 days in Pakistan.

She was elected as a councillor of Wexham Lea Slough, London in 2016 and was an active member of the council. Cllr Sadiq gave birth to quadruplets by caesarean section at Royal Berkshire Hospital on June 26, 2006 after she was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome before the pregnancy.

Shabnum’s close friend Cllr Madhuri Bedi revealed she had messaged her and urged her to keep fighting and not give up. She said: “There are no words to describe Shabnum’s passing and the immense heartbreak I am feeling for her, her children, her husband and loved ones.