ISLAMABAD: The total number of coronavirus cases in Pakistan has surged to 892 after new cases were reported in different areas of the country, media reported.
According to the National Command and Control Centre for the novel coronavirus, out of the total, 399 cases were reported in Sindh, 249 in Punjab, 110 in Balochistan, 81 in Gilgit-Baltistan and 38 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, whereas 15 people were diagnosed with the deadly virus in Islamabad and one in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
Six patients have recovered so far while six died from the COVID-19.
Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, in a Tweet, said that there were 249 cases in Punjab that included176 in DG Khan, Lahore 51, Gujrat 5, Gujranwala 6, Jhelum 3, Rawalpindi 2, Multan 2, Faisalabad 1, MandBD 1, RYK 1 and 1 case in Sargodha.
The Ministry of Interior on Monday authorised the deployment of the Pakistan Army troops in all four provinces, the Islamabad Capital Territory, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir to help tackle COVID-19.
Sindh, Punjab and Azad Jammu and Kashmir have declared a complete lockdown while the rest of the provinces and the capital city imposed a near lockdown to contain further spread of the coronavirus.
They had written to the Ministry of Interior seeking deployment of the armed forces.
“The Competent Authority in exercise of the powers conferred under Article 245 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and Section 131A of CrPC 1898, is pleased to authorize deployment of sufficient strength of troops of Pakistan Army in ICT depending upon the requirement to be worked out by the ICT Administration in liaison with the Army authorities in connection with the prevailing situation related to the spread of COVID-19 and matters ancillary thereto, subject to laws enforced in Pakistan,” read one of the notifications.
The ministry issued separate notifications authorising the deployment of the armed forces.
