Skip to main content

Strict Covid policy spurs protests in China amid surge in cases

By
Strict Covid policy spurs protests in China amid surge in cases
As China grapples with a surge in Covid-19 cases despite its strict ‘zero-Covid’ policy, the anger at the country’s hardline approach to containing the virus has intensified, prompting protests in at least two cities, including Urumqi and Beijing.

China, which remains the last major economy wedded to a zero-Covid strategy, recorded 34,909 new domestic infections on Saturday, AFP reported while quoting the National Health Commission.

As the infections spread to numerous cities, authorities enforced lockdowns on movement and business.

Protests broke out in the northwest Xinjiang region after ten people were killed and nine injured when a fire ripped through a building in the regional capital Urumqi on Thursday night, according to state news agency Xinhua.

Over 34,000 cases recorded; lockdown being blamed for deaths in building fire; Pakistan sees 27 new cases

The residents couldn’t escape as doors were clamped shut with iron wiring, AFP has reported. However, the officials have denied the allegations.

Some videos appeared to show crowds of people taking to the streets of Urumqi to protest against the measures.

Footage shows hundreds of people massing outside the Urumqi city government offices, chanting: “Lift lockdowns!” In another clip, dozens of people are seen marching through a neighbourhood in the east of the city, shouting slogans before facing off with a line of hazmat-clad officials and angrily rebuking security personnel.

Videos showed people in a plaza singing China’s national anthem with its lyric, “Rise up, those who refuse to be slaves!” while others shouted that they wanted to be released from lockdowns, Reuters reported.

Urumqi police said in a Friday post on Weibo that they had detained a woman sur-named Su for “spreading online rumours” relating to the number of casualties from the blaze.

An initial investigation showed the blaze to have been caused by a board of electric sockets in the family bedroom of one of the apartments, according to state broadcaster CCTV. Urumqi mayor Maimaitiming Kade offered a rare formal apology for the blaze at the briefing, according to the broadcaster.

In Beijing, some residents under lockdown staged small-scale protests or confronted officials over movement restrictions. A separate video shared with Reuters showed Beijing residents in an unidentifiable part of the city marching around an open-air car park on Saturday, shouting “End the lockdown”.

Shanghai tightened testing requirements on Saturday for entering venues such as museums and libraries, requiring people to present a negative Covid test taken within 48 hours, down from 72 hours earlier.

 

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Army chief assures business community of ‘complete support’ for economic uplift

By Admin
Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa on Wednesday assured the business community of the army’s “complete support” for the economic uplift of the country. He made this assurance during a meeting with businessmen who called on him at the General Headquarters today, according to a statement by the military’s media affairs wing. A delegation of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI) and the army chief discussed the “evolving regional economic environment” as well as the FPCCI’s role in the development of commercial and industrial hubs in Pakistan, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said. During the meeting, Gen Bajwa appreciated the role of the business community in the economic uplift of the country and affirmed all-out support of the army in this regard. The delegation, meanwhile, acknowledged the Pakistan Army’s role and sacrifices in the provision of a "secure enabling environment" for economic prosperity in the country, acco...
Post a Comment
Read more

3rd U-19 Women T20: South Africa beat Pakistan by 52 runs

By
In the third T20 of the five-match series in Karachi, South Africa Under-19 women's team defeated Pakistan Under-19 women's team by 52 runs tonight. Batting first, South Africa Under-19 women's team scored 158 runs for the loss of six wickets in allotted 20 overs. In reply, Pakistan Under-19 women's team were all out for 106 runs in 18 overs. South Africa lead the series 2-1.
Post a Comment
Read more

Military court case: SC rejects govt plea for constitution of full court bench

By
The Supreme Court of Pakistan has rejected a government plea to constitute a full court bench to decide the issue of civilian trials in military courts. The government had urged the court to set up a full court on the question. The was heard by a six-member larger bench headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, which reserved its judgment on Tuesday. The bench ruled that judges were not available for the constitution of full court bench due to summer vacations. The bench includes Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Muneeb Akhtar, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi and Justice Ayesha Malik. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court remarked during the hearing yesterday (on Tuesday) that there should be an independent body to review whether the arrests were made on valid grounds or not. The attorney general of Pakistan submitted the details of 102 people who face military trials to the court. Justice Mazahir Naqvi said in his remarks why other accused in the same case ...
Post a Comment
Read more