Pakistan Day Parade cancelled amid coronavirus fears

ISLAMABAD: The government decided on Friday to cancel the Pakistan Day Parade scheduled to be held on March 23, 2020, as a precautionary measure to contain the spread of the coronavirus which has affected 28 people in the country as of now.

The decision was taken by the National Security Committee in its meeting held today to discuss the response from the government to the virus which has affected more than 120,000 people in the world and caused the deaths of more than 4,500 people worldwide.

The committee decided to impose a ban on public events and the Pakistan Day Parade was no exception. It also decided to put in place a ban on cinemas, public gatherings and events at wedding halls.

Pakistan has been struggling to contain the spread of the virus as new cases of the coronavirus emerge in different cities of the country with each passing day.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health, Dr Zafar Mirza, confirmed on Friday that seven new cases of the coronavirus had emerged in Pakistan. All seven cases were reported in Taftan and had been isolated, he said.

The government also decided that only three airports in the country will cater to international flights. International flights will operate only at Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore airports for the time being.