ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Senator Shaukat Tarin on Wednesday tested positive for COVID-19, becoming the second parliamentarian in a day to contract the infection.
The finance minister has quarantined himself after testing positive for the infection.
Meanwhile, a meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) has also been postponed that was to be held today (Jan 19) after Shaukat Tarin, the head of the committee tested positive for COVID-19.
Earlier in the day, Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif has once again tested positive for the coronavirus, PML-N spokesperson Marriyam Aurangzeb said.
Marriyam said the PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif has quarantined himself at his residence. Ms Aurangzeb said doctors have advised Shehbaz to take rest, urging people, including party workers and leaders, to pray for his recovery.
Meanwhile, COVID-19 cases are increasing in Pakistan as the country recorded over 5,000 fresh cases of the pandemic during the last 24 hours.
According to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), a total of 57,669 samples were tested, out of which 5,427 turned out to be positive at the positivity rate of 9.48% as compared to yesterday’s 9.45 per cent.
With the emergence of fresh cases, the countrywide tally of cases has jumped to 1,333,521
Eight more patients of COVID-19 succumbed to the viral disease in the last 24 hours, taking the death toll to 29,037. The number of critical patients rose to 908.
