After visiting PoK, former Pak cricketer Shahid Afridi tests positive for coronavirus

Pakistan cricket team's former captain Shahid Afridi, who has tested positive for coronavirus, appears to have contracted the virus during his recent visit to Muzaffarabad city of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) where Pakistan has been sending its corona positive patients.

The former Pakistan cricketer was seen attending gatherings in Muzaffarabad last month without wearing a mask and not maintaining social distancing. He spewed venom against India during his rallies.

Afridi visited PoK to also express his solidarity with the people there who have been left to fend for themselves in combating COVID-19 as Pakistan has refused to provide any COVID fighting equipment like PPE kits and ventilators to the area's handful of hospitals.

In fact, Pakistan has been using the PoK as a "dumping ground" for COVID-19 affected persons from all across the country as authorities want to keep Punjab province free of corona positive persons.

The locals held massive protests against Pakistan for setting up quarantine centres and shifting patients from parts of Pakistan to PoK.

People are immensely suffering in Pakistan occupied Kashmir due to spread of coronavirus as the region lacks proper medical facilities and has a handful of COVID-19 testing labs. There is also lack of expert medical staff to conduct COVID-19 tests.

A large number of people here are presumed asymptomatic and they are fast spreading the virus because of lack of medical care.

Pakistan has reported over 1,25,000 coronavirus cases and 2,463 casualties. In Pakistan occupied Kashmir, the COVID-19 cases have increased to 534, whereas in Gilgit-Baltistan 1,030 have been reported.

( With inputs from ANI )