PML-N lawmaker passes away from COVID-19

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League’s (PML-N) member of the provincial assembly (MPA) from Wazirabad, Punjab, Shaukat Manzoor Cheema who was earlier tested positive for the novel coronavirus has passed.

His colleague in the Punjab Assembly, MPA Bilal Farooq Tarar confirmed the news on Wednesday.

The 66-year-old MPA had recently tested positive for the COVID-19 and was undergoing treatment at Pakistan Kidney And Liver Institute, Lahore.

“His condition had significantly improved a few days back … he was taken off the vent. Deteriorated all of a sudden today,” Tarar wrote on Twitter.

Shaukat Manzoor Cheema, MPA from Wazirabad has passed away.He was diagnosed with corona and undergoing treatment at PKLI.His condition had significantly improved a few days back as he was taken off the vent.Deteriorated all of a sudden today.May Allah grant him a place in Jannat. pic.twitter.com/ERO1uxM0pt

— Bilal Farooq Tarar (@bilaltarar) June 3, 2020

PML-N President and Leader of the Opposition Shehbaz Sharif expressed grief on the death of the MPA and said that he was an “important asset of the party and his services were unforgettable”.

Earlier, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MPA Mian Jamshed Uddin Kakakhel who was earlier tested positive for the novel coronavirus has passed away today.

According to details, Mian Jamshed Uddin Kakakhel was under treatment in a private hospital situated in Islamabad for the last few days.

He was shifted to the intensive care unit (ICU) on 24th May after his health deteriorated. Kakakhel, 65, was elected to the provincial assembly from Nowshera in 2018.

Two more MPAs from the KP Assembly also tested positive for the CVOVID-19 on Wednesday. Both the MPAs belonged to the Awami National Party (ANP).

The ANP confirmed that Faisal Zeb Khan and Salahuddin Khan had tested positive.

ANP Members Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly @FaisalZebKhan2 and Salahuddin Khan have tested positive for #COVIDー19 . Praying for their speedy recovery.

— Awami National Party (@ANPMarkaz) June 3, 2020

A day earlier, Ghulam Murtaza Baloch, Sindh’s minister for human settlement, died after testing positive for COVID-19 more than three weeks ago, according to Sindh government officials.

Murtaza Baloch, a senior member of the PPP, who was elected member of the Sindh Assembly from the party’s stronghold of PS-88 (Malir), tested positive for coronavirus on 14 May.

According to sources, about 12 members of the Sindh Assembly belonging to both the opposition and ruling parties have tested positive for coronavirus during a month.

Pakistan confirmed 67 more deaths from novel coronavirus in one day as the nationwide tally of fatalities has jumped to 1,688 and positive cases surged to 80,463.

Around the world, the coronavirus pandemic has killed more than 382,479 people and infected over 6,452,391.

According to the latest data, 3,067,598 patients have recovered from the pandemic so far. The United States has been the hardest-hit country, with 1,881,205 cases and 108,059 deaths. 

Brazil now has the second-highest number of recorded infections in the world after the United States with 558,237 cases and 31,309 fatalities with 1,262 deaths in a 24 hour period.

Over 423,741 people have infected while 5,037 people died of the virus in Russia. The country has the third-highest number of recorded infections in the world.