Pakistan allocates land for Coronavirus graveyards, as cases rise to 2,686

Struggling to cope up with the ever-soaring cases of Coronavirus in the country, Pakistan's provincial governments have begun allocating lands designated for graveyards, to bury COVID-19 patients. Islamabad High Court permitted to turn three and four-star hotels into quarantine centres to keep the Coronavirus patients.  

With 2,686 confirmed cases as of Saturday morning, Pakistan has now allotted acres of land in the outskirts of major Pakistani cities for the burial of those succumbing to Coronavirus. The country has recorded 40 COVID-19 deaths. However, Pakistan refused a total lockdown in the state citing the strain on the economy Imran Khan further justified his decision by saying that the situation of the country was not as bad as Italy or China due to Coronavirus. 

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In the thick of a global outbreak. Imran Khan rejected a total lockdown in the country, citing the economic impact it would have. He further justified his decision by saying that the situation of the country was not as bad as Italy or China due to Coronavirus. Declaring 'Jihad' against Coronavirus, Imran Khan also urged the youth of the country to join the Corona Tiger Force, which aims to combat the virus along with the Pakistani government at Qamar Bajwa-led Army. 

Coronavirus in Pakistan

Mosques were allowed to remain open in Pakistan on Friday, the Muslim sabbath when adherents gather for weekly prayers, even as the coronavirus pandemic spread and much of the country had shut down. Pakistan has been sharply condemned for moving too slow to curb large gatherings. 

Pakistan's Army on March 29 announced the completion of deployment of troops across the country, for assisting the civil authorities to contain the spread of Coronavirus. The deployment was approved by Bajwa on March 23, on request of the Interior Ministry of Pakistan. The Pakistani Army has urged its citizens to be indoors and avoid unnecessary travel. It was reported that the largest province of Punjab registered 920, Sindh 783, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) 311, Balochistan 169, Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) 190, Islamabad 68 and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir 9 Coronavirus cases. The number of cases was regularly on the rise in the country despite more than one week of partial lockdown to minimize the movement of people.

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(With PTI inputs)