Pakistan Army has been deployed across Pakistan to enforce strict COVID-19 health protocols. The move came after Prime Minister Imran Khan ordered the armed forces to help civilian authorities enforcing SOPs amid surging cases, Dawn reported.  

Addressing a press conference on Monday, Major General Babar Iftikhar, the spokesperson of the army’s media wing, said army troops have reached every corner of the country to assist the government.

"The primary purpose of deployment of army troops is to help civil institutions and law enforcement agencies," he said. The army would take all measures to protect the lives of people, he added. 

The forces, he claimed, have decided not to claim internal security allowance this time too. Sixteen cities reporting high positivity rate have been given priority deployment, he informed. 

A brigadier level officer would head the team at the administrative decision level while a Lt Col rank officer would be responsible for the team at the district level. 

Calling the third wave of the COVID-19 very “severe” and “dangerous”, Iftikhar said the health infrastructure of the country has come under immense “pressure”. Sindh, a Southern province of Pakistan, has already announced several restrictions. 
 
"At this time, there are around 90,000 active cases of Covid in Pakistan. The positivity ratio has risen to dangerous levels. The positivity ratio is more than 5pc in 51 cities, the army spokesperson informed. 

Furthermore, the number of deaths in April is the highest so far reported in the country.