Imran Khan flouts COVID-19 guidelines, holds in-person meet days after testing positive

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan -- who tested positive for COVID-19 last week -- on Thursday flouted coronavirus protocols and held in-person meeting.

Shibli Faraz, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting, has posted the image of the Pakist Prime Minister on Twitter with the caption 'Prime minister with the media team today at B gala'.

The image showed seven people sitting in a room with Imran Khan. Though Khan and the people in the meeting were wearing masks and maintained physical distancing, the image from the federal minister did not go down well with people on social media.

Some were quick to point out that UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson had held virtual meetings after he had tested positive for coronavirus. One user wrote: "Bro that's how intelligent and sensible governments work when their premiere is sick. Protecting themselves and others."

Another user wrote that it was a "boomer problem" that Khan was "sticking to 'in person' meetings when a more efficient and safe way is available."

Netizens even urged the people to not "try this at home" as the cases are rising at a high rate in Pakistan.

"Poor optics and bad example from our PM @ImranKhanPTI. This meeting, if so important, could've been done over a video link. This pic is a violation of #SOPs and #coronavirus isolation guidelines. Once again poor advice and an incompetent team of advisors," Raza Haroon, a political worker wrote on Twitter.

According to data issued by National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), 38,858 tests were conducted in the country during the last 24 hours out of which 3,946 returned positive, taking the positivity ratio to 10.15 per cent, Geo News reported.

Khan's special assistant on national health services Faisal Sultan had said on Saturday that the Prime Minister has tested positive for coronavirus.

"PM Imran Khan has tested positive for COVID-19 and is self-isolating at home," Sultan said in a tweet.

Khan, 67, was vaccinated on Thursday with the Chinese vaccine Sinopharm as part of the nationwide anti-coronavirus vaccination campaign.

( With inputs from ANI )