Pakistan rules out complete lockdown in case of a fourth coronavirus wave

• Asad Umar fears Pakistan may face a fourth coronavirus wave in July. 
• Umar says smart lockdowns to be imposed if cases rise.
• NCOC chief urges people to practice SOPs. 

ISLAMABAD: Federal minister Asad Umar Thursday rejected the possibility of a complete lockdown in case Pakistan experiences a fourth wave of the coronavirus pandemic. 

The minister, speaking at the oath taking ceremony of the newly appointed members of the National Youth Council (NYC), said he feared the fourth wave of the virus will start in the month of July. 

He rejected the possibility of a complete lockdown if the fourth wave of the pandemic takes ahold of Pakistan. 

Umar, however, said Pakistan will impose smart lockdowns across the country (as it had done before) to counter the virus, in case cases of the infection once again shoot up across the country. He added that the strategy had proven effective in stemming the spread of the virus in the past. 

The minister said the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), through a letter, informed the Kashmir Election Commission about violation of coronavirus SOPs during the ongoing election campaigns.

Umar praised the government's tackling of the coronavirus, saying that it had received international praise as well. He cited Pakistan's inclusion in the Economist’s Normalcy Index--that determines which countries are returning to their pre-pandemic levels--at number three. 

The NCOC chief urged people to continue observing coronavirus SOPs and get themselves vaccinated so that Pakistan can cope with the fourth wave of the pandemic effectively. 

PM warns of a fourth COVID-19 wave

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday urged the masses to strictly observe the government's mandated COVID-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs) on the occasion of Eid ul Adha to keep the virus at bay.

PM Khan had warned the nation about the dangers of the Delta variant — which first emerged in India — and said that India, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Indonesia are currently suffering because of it.

"Given the current situation in countries like Afghanistan, where there is an acute shortage of oxygen, I would like to say a few things to the nation," the PM had said.

He had said that so far, Allah has been very merciful towards Pakistan and even foreign publications like The Economist has listed Pakistan as one of the top three nations that were able to control the pandemic in an efficient way.