Six Pakistan cricketers test positive for COVID, training put on hold; NZC alleges protocol breach
Christchurch/Karachi, Nov 26: Six touring Pakistan cricketers including former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed have tested positive for COVID-19 here, New Zealand Cricket announced on Thursday.
The host cricket board also alleged a breach of the bio-secure protocol by the visitors who have been asked not train in quarantine and issued a "final warning".
A jumbo 53-strong Pakistan squad, led by Babar Azam, arrived in New Zealand on Tuesday and is serving a mandatory 14-day quarantine period as per COVID-19 protocol.
"Two of these six results have been deemed 'historical'; four have been confirmed as new," NZC said in a statement without revealing the names of the players who have tested positive for the dreaded virus.
However sources in the PCB said that the six were Sarfaraz, Mohammed Abbas, Abid Ali, Naseem Shah, Rohail Nazir, Danish Aziz.
All six members of the squad will be moved to the quarantine arm of a managed isolation facility. Pakistan are here for three T20 Internationals and two Tests. The series begins December 18 in Auckland.
"As a consequence, the Pakistan team's exemption to train while in managed isolation has been put on hold until investigations have been completed," the NZC stated.
The home board also spoke of a protocol breach but did not specify the exact nature of it.
"Separately, NZC has also been made aware that some members of the Pakistan team had contravened protocols on the first day of managed isolation.
"We will be having discussions with the tourists to assist them in understanding the requirements," the NZC statement added.
According to New Zealand media, the Canterbury District Health Board's medical officer of health has sent a letter to the squad's management saying all team members must stay in their rooms until further adviced.
The breaches, reportedly caught on CCTV cameras, happened despite "clear, consistent and detailed communication of expected behaviours" according to a health ministry spokeswoman.
The country's Director-general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said rule breaking was being taken very seriously.
"It is a privilege to come to New Zealand to play sport, but in return teams must stick to the rules that are designed to keep COVID-19 out of our communities and keep our staff safe," Bloomfield was quoted as saying by stuff.co.nz.
"The team as a whole has been issued with a final warning," he said.
At least 10 Pakistan cricketers had tested positive for COVID-19 before the team's England tour earlier this year.
Prior to leaving Lahore, all members of the Pakistan squad returned negative results on the four occasions they were tested.
In addition to the senior squad, Pakistan's A team is also here to compete in a couple of four-day matches beginning December 10.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Ex-PM Devegowda warns opposition of electoral losses if they continue to allege 'vote chori'
New Delhi (PTI): Former Prime Minister H D Devegowda on Monday said the Opposition parties would "suffer" if they continue to raise allegations of "vote chori" and create suspicion in the minds of voters by blaming Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government.
Participating in a discussion on election reforms in the Rajya Sabha, he criticised the Opposition for making a mockery about the Prime Minister "in the streets and on the public platform".
"This (India) is a very big country. A large country. Congress may be in three states. Remember my friends please, by using the words 'vote chori' you are going to suffer in the coming days. You are not going to win the battle," Devegowda said, referring to the Opposition members.
He asked what the Opposition is going to earn by "blaming Narendra Modi's leadership and creating a suspicion in the mind of the voters" through the claims of "vote chori".
"What has happened to their minds? Let them rectify," Devegowda said.
ALSO READ: Search operation ends in Anjaw truck accident, 20 bodies recovered
The former prime minister said that during his over seven decades of public life, he has never raised such issues of vote theft despite facing defeat in elections.
He also cited a letter written by the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru regarding inclusion of "18,000 votes" (voters) in Kerala.
"Why I am telling this (because) during the Nehru period also, there were certain lapses in the electoral system," said Devegowda, who was the prime minister between June 1, 1996 and April 21, 1997.
He said that the Congress party faced defeat in the recent Bihar elections despite raising the issues of mistakes in the electoral rolls.
"What happened after that even after so much review (of voters list). Think (for) yourself! You got six MLAs," the senior Janata Dal (Secular) leader said.
Devegowda questioned the Opposition as to why they want to make allegations against the prime minister on the issue of the voters list?
"Election Commission is there. Supreme Court is there. The Election Commission has given direction to all the state units to rectify all these things," he said.
Devegowda said people of the country have full confidence in Narendra Modi's government and it will come back to power after the next Lok Sabha elections as well.
K R Suresh Reddy, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) party's Rajya Sabha member from Telangana, said that electoral reforms are the backbone for a healthy democracy.
He said a large and diverse nation like Indi needs clean electoral rolls.
Asserting that strict re-verification should not become a mechanism for exclusion, Reddy said no eligible voter should lose their right to vote simply because accessing paperwork is difficult.
He said while the concern definitely is on the voters' exclusion, "we should also be equally concerned about the percentage of voting."
"What is happening in voting today? Once the election ends, the drama begins. The biggest challenge that the Indian democracy has been facing in spite of two major Constitutional amendments has been the anti-defection. Anti-defection is the name of the game today, especially in smaller states, especially where the legislatures are small in number," Reddy said.
The senior BRS leader suggested creation of a parliamentary committee "which would constantly look into the defection" and "ways and means to cutting that".
AIADMK's M Thambidurai raised the issues related to election campaigning.
ALSO READ: National Herald case: Shivakumar to seek time next week to appear before Delhi police
"Election campaigns are one of the important election processes. In that, political parties must be given the proper chance to campaign," he said and cited problems faced by his party in Tamil Nadu in this regard.
Thambidurai said political parties were facing hardships in Tamil Nadu to conduct public meetings and to express their views to the public.
YSRCP's Yerram Venkata Subba Reddy stressed on bringing electoral reforms at both the state and national levels.
He also suggested replacing Electronic Voting Machines with paper ballots in all future elections.
"EVM may be efficient but can't be trusted. Paper ballot may not be efficient but can be trusted. You need trust in democracy," Reddy added.
