-Says troops have reached every corner of Pakistan to help Civil Administration
-Claims the deployment was arranged on request of Interior Ministry
-Argues that in cities positivity rate has reached ‘dangerous’ level
-Asks citizens to strictly observe virus SOPs
RAWALPINDI: Director-General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Major General Babar Iftikhar on Monday confirmed the deployment of Pakistan Army troops in 16 cities of the country to ensure compliance with the Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs).
While addressing an important press conference on the coronavirus situation in Pakistan, the DG ISPR said that the army has been deployed in cities where the rate of coronavirus positivity has exceeded 16 per cent.
” Army was deployed in Covid hit cities on request of Interior Ministry under Article 245 of the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan,” said the head of the military’s media wing. The cities included Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar, Multan, Hyderabad and others, where the positivity rate has reached “dangerous” levels, he said during a press briefing.
“To help the civil government and assist law enforcement agencies is the primary purpose of deployment of troops in wake of Covid-19 pandemic,” he added.
The DG ISPR revealed that 4,300 coronavirus patients were on critical care at the moment, adding that the Covid-19 fatality rate has reached 2.16 per cent for the first time in the country since the start of the pandemic.
“In some cities, 90% of the ventilators in hospitals are occupied,” he said.
He urged masses to follow coronavirus safety precautions. The confirmation came a day after the federal government announced the deployment of armed forces in all provinces and regions of the country, with the exception of Sindh, to ensure compliance with the Covid-19 SOPs.
The DG ISPR warned that the third wave of Covid-19 was “much more dangerous and fatal” and was affecting the whole world, especially the South Asian region. He said coronavirus-related deaths were rising fast due to the speed and intensity of the pandemic, adding the healthcare infrastructure was under “severe pressure” because of the rapid increase in patients in critical care.
Gen Iftikhar said that 75 per cent of the country’s oxygen production capacity was dedicated to the healthcare sector currently but if the prevalent coronavirus situation continued, then the oxygen allocated for industry usage would also have to be diverted to the healthcare sector.
