By Hamza Ameer

Islamabad, Jun 15 (IANS): Widespread violations of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and ignorance towards accepting the very existence of the coronavirus in Pakistan, has lead to shocking and worrying estimates, forecasting the numbers of people affected by the virus to reach up to one million within the next 1.5 months.

The estimates were released by Pakistan's Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar, who said that the total tally of novel coronavirus across the country could double in number in the coming weeks.

"Based on current pace of cases, the number of confirmed cases can reach 300,000 by the end of current month and will reach one million to 1.2 million by the end of July," he said.

"However, the good news is that it is in our hands to control the spread of disease and we can do it by following the standard operating procedures (SOPs)," he added.

Coronavirus cases in Pakistan have been swelling with each passing day with thousands of new cases being reported every day, while deaths are being reported from all parts of the country, specifically major cities.

As per latest numbers, at least 144,478 coronavirus cases have been reported in Pakistan with at least 2,729 deaths and a heartening recovery of at least 53,721. In the past 24 hours, at least 5,248 cases have been reported while at least 97 people lost their lives.

With government increasing its testing capacity, cases have started to surface from all parts of the country and major cities in big numbers, raising serious questions over the Imran Khan-led government's policy of continuing a "smart lockdown".

The public at large, who are questioning government's capability in understanding the dire situation, is now grilling on the media and government officials. The Imran Khan led government is also being asked to take responsibility of letting the virus spread, calling it a nothing more than a simple flu at the start.

"This government, that has been saying that it is following the SOPs defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), is now refusing to accept their recommendation of a complete two-week lockdown and two-weeks intermittent lockdown," said a local whose whole family was tested positive of the coronavirus.

"Imran Khan was the one saying that it's a simple flu. Now, he himself is saying otherwise. We are not fools. They have opened all markets, businesses, transport and are now trying to hold public responsible for the surge in coronavirus cases. This is sheer ignorance and incompetence. People are ignorant because of Imran Khan's confused and easy approach on coronavirus. The government should stop making a fool out of the people," he added.

Prime Minister Imran Khan's consistent contention that a complete lockdown to curb the virus spread has now become the prime agenda of debates with majority ending up either in disappointment from his supporters and anger from locals at large.