South Asia

COVID-19: Malpractice in distribution of relief reported from Gilgit-Baltistan

COVID-19: Malpractice in distribution of relief reported from Gilgit-Baltistan

Bangladesh Live News | @banglalivenews | 27 Apr 2020, 03:05 am
Islamabad: Political parties in Gilgit-Baltistan region are blaming each other for alleged malpractices in the region over distribution of relief material to the poor and people staying in quarantine in the current COVID-19 outbreak scenario.

Gilgit-Baltistan region is specially significant as it borders China's Xinjiang province.

So far, 318 COVID-19 cases have been reported from the region even as it is believed that the number of cases might be higher than officially announced due to lack of testing.

Khalid Khurshid, President of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Diamer-Astore has directly blamed the Chief Minister of Gilgit Baltistan, Hafiz Hafeezur Rehman, who represents PML(N) for malpractices in the distribution of ration to the needy, reported ANI news agency.

At a news conference, Khurshid told ANI, "The labour class, who are quarantined, are told that government will provide them food and other necessary help for 14 days. But, these promises are not getting fulfilled on the ground."

He said proper medical kits are not reaching those people involved in fighting the disease.

He alleged they are being used by politicians.

Shams Lone, another PTI leader from the region told ANI, "This is really shameful that despite a lack of masks for medical staff, the politicians are using these masks for their personal use."