Another provincial minister dies due to coronavirus in Pakistan

A provincial minister died due to the coronavirus on Thursday, a week after he was diagnosed with COVID-19, becoming the latest political figure in Pakistan to succumb to the deadly disease.

Janbaz Khan, Minister for Agriculture in Gilgit-Baltistan, had been on a ventilator for four days, a doctor at Gilgit's city hospital - where the 64-year-old minister was admitted - was quoted as saying by the Express Tribune.

"He had a heart related disease, besides diabetes," said the doctor, who is also treating Malik Miskeen, another senior politician from Diamer district.

Khan, who was five-time lawmaker, was the founding member of the Pakistan Muslim League in the region.

The minister is survived by two wives, five sons and four daughters.

So far five lawmakers, including two provincial ministers, have died in Pakistan due to the coronavirus which has infected several top politicians including former prime ministers Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Yusuf Raza Gilani.

Earlier this month, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Member of Punjab Assembly Shaukat Manzoor Cheema and Sindh Human Settlement Minister Ghulam Murtaza Baloch died to the novel coronavirus.

A provincial assembly member from Khyber-Pakhutnkhwa, Munir Orakzai, died on June 2, days after he had recovered from the virus.

Pakistan's Information Technology and Telecommunications Minister Syed Aminul Haq was tested positive for the coronavirus on Tuesday.

On Monday, Sindh's Minister For Women Development Syeda Shehla Raza was tested positive for the coronavirus.

Pakistan's coronavirus death toll crossed 3,000 with 118 more patients succumbing to the disease in the last 24 hours, while the total number of infections surpassed the 1,60,000-mark, the health ministry said on Thursday.