With the Parliament being packed for the Senate Elections 2021 on 3rd March today, netizens couldn’t help but notice the lack of face masks.
Parliamentarians flew in from all over the country to cast their votes and elect new senators. The lawmakers were all up for preaching to the public about the need to follow SOPs and stay safe amid the ongoing Corona pandemic. Unfortunately, very few of them remembered to practice what they preach.
So many ministers
So few masks pic.twitter.com/7qZ0A3vtsm
— omar r quraishi (@omar_quraishi) March 3, 2021
Why is he not wearing a mask? Why is there no socila distancing? I don't expect my PM to ignore the precautionary measures.
— Iqbal (@i_relish_code) March 3, 2021
The situation was so bad with only one parliamentarian wearing a mask in the video of the Senate Elections 2021, posted by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI). Federal Planning Minister Asad Umar did his due diligence.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan, Finance Minister Hafeez Sheikh, Federal Science Minister Fawad Chaudhry, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs Ali Amin Gandapur, Federal Minister for Communications Murad Saeed and Defence Minister Pervez Khattak were all minging without masks.
Prime Minister of Pakistan @ImranKhanPTI casts his vote for polling of #SenateElection2021 pic.twitter.com/Nckk4HGrTQ
— PTI (@PTIofficial) March 3, 2021
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So who will be blamed for the next spike in COVID-19 cases after almost all precautionary measures were butchered in Parliament House? Especially when an overwhelming majority of legislators are over 60.
Health experts cautioned that a third wave of the virus could hit Pakistan as the country continues to ease restrictions by reopening educational institutes, public spaces and now holding the Senate elections.
Ironically, from Prime Minister Imran Khan to the Leader of the Opposition Shehbaz Sharif, everyone seems to be on the page about something for once, ditching the mask.
The Honorable Prime Minister of Islamic Republic of Pakistan
Mr. Imran Ahmed Khan Niazi (@ImranKhanPTI)
casting his vote in #SenateElections2021 pic.twitter.com/UspI5As2rp
— Imran Ghazali | #DigitalStrategy (@ImranGhazaliPK) March 3, 2021
Chairman @BBhuttoZardari casting his vote in #SenateElections2021 🇱🇾 pic.twitter.com/hBqoDZcWfb
— Anum Laghari (@AnumLaghari) March 3, 2021
https://twitter.com/MeraamAfzal/status/1367024615315415040
Even the NA staff took this as a green light to not wear masks too.
MNA @ShahNafisa is casting her vote for Senate Election today with wearing mask. Presiding officer along with NA management is standing without mask which is the Violation of SOP of Coronavirus#SenateElections2021 pic.twitter.com/eK7lxBB517
— Khaleek kohistani (@KhalekKohistani) March 3, 2021
As for people wearings masks with their nose exposed, why bother?
Is this really about sussing out ‘positive vibes’?
Tankeed Tankeed Tankeed! O mere bhai Kbhi insan ban kr dekho positive vibe bh aingi!
— Asad Wassan (@imasadwassan15) March 3, 2021
Yes, the pandemic is still ongoing. Even though Parliamentarians sure aren’t acting like it.
corona gayab hogaya ?
— Ali Asgher Zain (@AliAsgherZain) March 3, 2021
Had COVID ended in Pakistan ?
— Anam.Z (@786ask) March 3, 2021
Then there were conspiracy theories. Or is this the truth?
https://twitter.com/duke_dynamo/status/1367022554439966721
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While the blatant violation of Coronaviris SOPs in Parliament drew public ire, Netizens also took time to appreciate those legislators that wore their masks.
Thank you @HinaRKhar for putting the mask on 😷
People will only follow the SOPs if our representatives demonstrate them. I will requuest the representatives of treasury benches to do same as I have seen them moving in Parliament without masks. #SenateElections2021 pic.twitter.com/1RKhE7h233— Abdullah Dayo (@AbdullahDayo) March 3, 2021
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What do you have to say about the conduct of lawmakers at this year’s Senate Elections? Have you been following the voting online?
