ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's Science and Technology Minister Fawad Chaudhry claimed on Wednesday that ministers have started contracting coronavirus due to the in-person sessions of the parliament.
"Within a week, the coronavirus claimed lives of four parliament members including a provincial minister," Chaudhry was quoted by Geo News as saying.
He informed the parliament that 18 lawmakers are currently still fighting against the contagion and urged the people of his country to exercise caution to remain safe from the outbreak.
The minister stated that instead of calling a direct session or summoning one at hotels, virtual sessions should be held.
Several high-ranking government functionaries including federal minister Shehryar Afridi, National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, Sindh Governor Imran Ismail and provincial minister Saeed Ghani also tested positive for COVID-19, while a few lawmakers also lost their lives to the virus.
A day ago, Sindh Minister for Human Settlement Haji Ghulam Murtaza Baloch passed away after battling coronavirus.
Baloch is the second lawmaker in Pakistan who has died from coronavirus after Shaheen Raza, who succumbed to the virus last month. She was a PTI lawmaker in the Punjab Assembly.
On Tuesday, another lawmaker Munir Orakzai died of cardiac arrest just weeks after recovering from COVID-19.
In May, the National Assembly and Senate in-person sessions were held with a difference of a day. The sessions were held to discuss the ongoing situation in the country due to the outbreak.