In a bid to criticise Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and the Government, Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman made shocking comments about the Wuhan Coronavirus during a press conference held on Wednesday. A radical Islamic preacher and chief of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F), Rehman is a staunch critic of the current political dispensation in Pakistan.
During the press conference, he remarked, “Corpses are not handed over to the families. Give me one example of a person from worldwide who has contracted Coronavirus from a dead body. Doctors recommend patients to sleep well. When someone sleeps, the virus also sleeps along with him. It does not harm you then. If the virus sleeps when you sleep, then, the virus must die with your death.” His bizarre comments received affirmation from his supporters, standing behind the podium.
Maulana criticise mishandling of the Coronavirus pandemic
Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman lambasted at Imran Khan for mishandling of the Coronavirus pandemic that has infected 1,39,230 people and caused 2,632 fatalities. He said that even though the Pakistani government claimed to have spent 25 lacs PKR on every Coronavirus patient, yet hefty fees to the tune of 8000 to 10000 PKR were charged for testing from the individuals directly. Fazal-ur-Rehman also criticised Imran Khan for ‘fear-mongering’ about the pandemic by suggesting that the deadly disease had no cure.
The Islamic preacher claimed that deaths caused due to heart and liver ailments in Pakistan were labelled as ‘Coronavirus-related deaths’ to create an atmosphere of fear. He also criticised the Imran Khan-led-government for not welcoming the Pakistanis stranded abroad, adding that they have been subjected to innumerable difficulties due to the Coronavirus outbreak. Amidst the pandemic, Fazal-ur-Rehman also advocated for reopening of schools, colleges, and universities and hit out at the Pakistani Government for hindering the education of students.
Rahman leads Azadi March to dethrone Imran Khan
Last year in October, the Islamic preacher took out an Azaadi March that sought to dethrone Imran Khan as the Pakistani Prime Minister. “The war has been announced and now [the party] cannot retreat. He [Prime Minister Imran] has ruined the economy, and a country with a devastated economy can’t survive,” he was quoted as saying. Reportedly, thousands of people, including Madrassa students, took part in the march. The anti-government movement was supported by leading opposition parties such as PPP (Pakistani Peoples Party) and PML-N (Pakistani Muslim League-Noon).