PPP postpones Rawalpindi rally on April 4 amid Covid-19 surge

The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has postponed the Rawalpindi public gathering, scheduled for April 4, to mark the 42nd death anniversary of its founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, amid the coronavirus outbreak in the city.
The announcement was made by Sindh Education Minister Saeed Ghani. He further said it is expected that the same public gathering would now be held in Larkana on April 4.
Earlier in the day, the Sindh Health Department had voiced concerns over the PPP’s Rawalpindi public gathering in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Covid-19 cases positivity rate in Rawalpindi is currently at 17 per cent, while the rate in Sindh currently stands at 2 per cent. The public gathering in Rawalpindi may result in a pandemic outbreak in the province, the health department had informed PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari. It would be better to postpone the public gathering in Rawalpindi to remain safe from the Covid-19 outbreak in the province again, the health department advised Bilawal.
Earlier, keeping in view the rising number of Covid-19 cases and the security concerns, the Rawalpindi administration rejected an application of the PPP, seeking permission to hold a public rally on April 4 to mark the 42nd death anniversary of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
The PPP had sought permission from the Rawalpindi district administration to allow them to hold a public gathering but was denied by the local administration owing to the growing number of Covid-19 cases.