Islamabad: The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), an alliance comprising 11 of the country’s opposition parties, will hold its first public rally on 18 October, it was announced.
The rally was initially scheduled to take place on 11 October and the reason for the postponement was not immediately known, Geo News reported.
The new date was announced on Sunday by Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) senior leader Abdul Ghafoor Haideri. Haideri added that a separate rally by the JUI-F that was to take place in Quetta on 25 October has also been postponed. No alternate date was provided.
The PDM was created last month in an effort to oust the incumbent Imran Khan-led government over its failures in all sectors. The alliance has appointed JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman as its first phase President.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has urged citizens to wear face masks in public to avoid a spike in coronavirus cases, saying there were concerns that the onset of winter could result in a second wave.
Compared to some other states, Allah has been kind to us in Pakistan and spared us worst effects of Covid-19. There is a fear onset of winter could result in second wave. I urge everyone to wear face masks in public to avoid a spike. All offices and educational institutions must ensure masks are worn, he said in a tweet on Sunday.
Pakistan reported 632 new cases on Sunday, taking the country’s total infection tally to 314,616, reports The Express Tribune. Six more deaths were also recorded in the country, which increased the total fatalities to 6,513.
Around 375 patients also recovered from the virus, taking the tally for recovered patients to 298,968.
On 3 October, the national body leading the country’s coronavirus response also asked all provinces and federating units to launch a crackdown on restaurants and wedding halls violating standard operative procedures (SOPs) framed to curb the spread of Covid-19 in the wake of a fresh surge in infections, particularly in Karachi.
The Pakistan Medical Association has also issued a fresh warning over the escalating Covid-19 cases in the country, saying that country might be headed for a second wave of the disease.