Pak Army deploys troops in 16 cities to ensure compliance with COVID-19 guidelines

Islamabad [Pakistan], April 28 (ANI): The Pakistani Army has deployed troops in 16 cities of the country to ensure compliance with the COVID-19 guidelines, as the nation grapples with a devastating third wave of the virus.
In the coming days, the soldiers will go to every corner of the country to make sure that COVID-19 guidelines are being followed, Xinhua reported citing Major General Babar Iftikhar, director-general of Pakistan's Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
Iftikhar said that the COVID-19 positive rate has reached a dangerous level as the rates in 51 cities have been recorded more than 5 per cent.
He further said that the healthcare system of the country is under pressure and increasingly becoming choked due to the rising cases of the disease and that 75 per cent of the oxygen produced by the country is being used for hospitals to handle the situation, Xinhua reported
According to the government notification earlier this week, the provinces and federal territories except Sindh will avail the services of the Pakistan Army for implementation of COVID-19 SOPs "as per their need", Dawn reported.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has indicated that the federal government might impose a complete lockdown in coronavirus-hit cities and stressed the need for a smooth supply of food items during the lockdown.
"The prime minister has directed that food supplies should be improved if we go for complete lockdown," said information minister Fawad Chaudhry in a press conference after the weekly cabinet meeting.
Pakistan's total cases of COVID-19 infection have already crossed the 800,000-mark and the death toll from the coronavirus has reached 17,530.
In the last 24 hours, Pakistan has reported 201 more COVID deaths, the highest number in a single day since the pandemic broke out in the country last year, ARY News reported. (ANI)