2 PAKISTANI LAWMAKERS DIE OF VIRUS

Islamabad, June 3: Two Pakistani lawmakers died from the Covid-19 here on Wednesday, a day after a provincial minister succumbed to Covid19 in the southern Sindh province. Mian Jamshed Kakakhel, 65, a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Member Provincial Assembly (MPA) from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, died here while undergoing treatment after having tested positive for the Covid-19 10 days ago.

“Mian Jamshed was on ventilator for the last three days and passed away this morning,” an official said. “His son Mian Omar has recovered from Covid-19 while other family members have tested negative for it,” he added. Kakakhel was elected from the constituency of PK-63 Nowshera in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 2018.

Pakistan Muslim League(Nawaz) MPA from from Gujranwala Shaukat Manzoor Cheema also died after being on ventilator since Id, Geo News reported. Cheema, a member of the Punjab Assembly, had been admitted to the Pakistan Kidney And Liver Institute (PKLI) after contracting the virus. He also suffered from heart ailments, the report quoted hospital officials as saying. PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif expressed grief over the demise of Cheema. He said Cheema was an asset to the party whose services can never be forgotten.

On Tuesday, Sindh Minister for Human Settlement Ghulam Murtaza Baloch died in Karachi due to the Covid-19. Several Pakistani lawmakers contracted the deadly virus and some of them have also died. Last week, Member of the National Assembly (MNA) Munir Khan Orakzai died, days after recovering from the Covid-19. Eight members of the Khber Pakhunkhwa Assembly have been infected with the virus.