Daily Times

Pakistan People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Thursday said he has been tested positive for coronavirus and is self-isolating.

“I have tested positive for #Covid-19 and am self-isolating with mild symptoms,” Bilawal said in a tweet. “I’ll continue working from home & will be addressing PPP foundation day via video link.” He advised his supporters and the masses to “wear a mask everyone.”

Bilawal’s political secretary Jamil Soomro earlier tested positive on Nov 25, prompting Bilawal to have his tests, that too came positive.

Bilawal recently returned to Karachi recently after an extensive electoral campaign for the Gilgit-Baltistan general election and later attended a Pakistan Democratic Movement rally at Peshawar.

The PDM is determined to hold another rally at Multan on November 30 and another one at Lahore. The NCOC has recommended a ban on public gatherings on Nov 11 and later Prime Minister Imran Khan announced a bar on holding of any such gatherings on Nov 25. The Islamabad High Court too had ruled against any such public rallies, owing to the recent spike in cases of coronavirus.

40 deaths were reported on Wednesday, a bit lower than the figure of 59 of a day earlier, however the number of fresh cases has continued to rise with the latest tally touching 3,306 in a day.

Sources said the entire staff of Bilawal House in Karachi has also been directed to undergo Covid-19 tests on the directives issued by former president Asif Ali Zardari. The staff, including security personnel, will not be allowed inside without a PCR test report.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Minister wished Bilawal “well” and advised everyone sitting with the PPP chairman at the PDM gathering in Peshawar to get themselves tested.

Federal Information Minister Shibli Faraz prayed for Bilawal’s quick recovery and appealed to the opposition to take care of everyone’s health. “Corona does not differentiate between leaders and public,” said Faraz. He appealed to the opposition leaders to cancel their Multan gathering and take care of each other’s health and the public’s.

Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting Senator Faisal Javed Khan also asked PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to take care of himself as well as people. In a tweet, he prayed for the speedy recovery of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari who tested positive for COVID-19. Faisal Javed said that “what a cruelty it is to videotape yourself while bringing people to the streets and endangering their lives”. He asked him to be conscientious as there was no use of these meetings instead they were harmful for masses.