Islamabad, Dec 11 Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has urged the country's to put off public rallies for at least two months as they will lead to endangering "the lives of people due to the fast spread of Covid-19".
"The opposition thinks it can put pressure on me by holding rallies. That is not the case; but the rallies will endanger people's lives," Dawn news quoted Khan as saying in a televised address to the nation on Thursday after a meeting of the National Coordination Committee (NCC) on Covid-19.
According to the NCC, 3,138 people tested positive for the virus and 56 died in the last 24 hours.
The new figures increased the overall caseload and death toll to 432,327 and 8,653, respectively.
"These rallies and demonstrations will not make any difference to the government but you (opposition) are putting people's lives in danger," the premier said.
"Who has staged bigger rallies than us? Will they succeed in ousting the government?" he asked.
Khan said when public meetings were held, people came close to one another, increasing chances of the virus spread.
"When we know that the virus is spreading, the rallies can be staged after two or three months to save the people's lives," he added.
Khan further warned that with the onset of winter, it would become more difficult to curb the spread of the virus, Dawn news reported.
"The disease spreads more quickly in indoor environment than open places. In colder months, people gather around heaters therefore chances of the virus spreading increases.
"If the virus keeps spreading at the current rate during the second wave, then our hospitals will fill up," he added.
( With inputs from IANS )
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