Govt calls in Pak Army troops amid coronavirus outbreak

ISLAMABAD (News Desk): The interior ministry on Monday issued a notification according to which Pakistan Army troops were deployed throughout the country to help tackle the spread of the coronavirus. “The Competent Authority, in exercise of the powers conferred under Article 245 of the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan and Section I31-A of CrPC is pleased to authorize deployment of sufficient strength of troops of Pakistan Army in Punjab province depending upon the requirement to be worked out by the provincial Government in liaison with the Army authorities in connection with the prevailing situation related to the spread of COVID-19 and matters ancillary thereto, subject to laws enforced in Pakistan,” read the notification for Punjab. Similar notifications were issued for Sindh, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. The notification comes at a time when the number of affected cases in the province have soared past 800 and six have succumbed to the infection in Pakistan. Speaking at a news conference on Sunday, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on National Secu­rity Dr Moeed Yusuf said a decision had been made in principle that Pakistanis stranded at airports of the four countries would be brought home.