ISLAMABAD: While it has been made mandatory for senators to get themselves tested for Covid-19 before participation in the house session scheduled on May 12, Muttahida Qaumi Movement Senator Mian Ateeq Shaikh could not get himself tested on Saturday.

“I left my house at 10am to get myself tested and reached at Parliament House. A doctor, who was present at the dispensary, told me that I should go to Parliament Lodges as samples were being collected there,” the senator told Dawn.

Another doctor however told me that a team had visited Parliament Lodges on Friday to collect samples but he was not sure if the team would visiting there again or not. A dispenser present there suggested me to go to the National Institute of Health (NIH), he said.

Mr Shaikh said he had received a notification from the secretary Senate that the session was scheduled at 10:30am on May 12 and all senators would have to bring their Covid-19 reports with them otherwise they would not be allowed to enter the premises.

Moreover, it was mentioned that the senators would have to maintain social distancing so on first come first serve basis they would be offered seats in the hall and others would have to sit in the visitors’ gallery.

“I decided to go to the NIH as sometimes it takes 24 to 72 hours to get the result of the test. However, at NIH no one was aware where I should go for the test. Finally, I reached a small room where samples were being collected. The staff was collecting samples from an elderly person who was in an ambulance parked outside,” he said.

There were three staff members and two of them were not wearing gloves.

One of them was even without mask. In the meantime, a person, who was also not wearing personal protective equipment, reached there and picked half of the sample collection kits with bare hands and went out, he said.

“Later, they gave me a form to fill and suggested to mention my father’s name and my CNIC number. But to my surprise the form did not have the columns for father’s name and CNIC number. However, I decided to return as the place seemed to be a hub of the virus,” he said.

Replying to a question, Mr Shaikh said he also sent a message to Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani informing him about the details but could not get any reply from him.

Published in Dawn, May 10th, 2020