As the world struggles to adapt to the increasing threat of Coronavirus outbreak, former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar has urged people to help each other by rising above religion and economic status.
See Also: Shoaib Akhtar hits out at people for "stockpiling" amidst COVID-19 outbreak
In a video posted on his YouTube channel, Akhtar termed COVID-19 as “global crisis” and thus requested everyone to tackle it as one force.
"Request all my fans all across the globe. Coronavirus is a global crisis and we have to think as a global force, rise above religion. Lockdown is happening so that the virus does not spread. If you are doing interaction and meeting in places, it will not help," the Rawalpindi Express said.
"If you are hoarding things, please think about the daily wage workers. Stores are empty. What is the guarantee that you will live after three months? Think about the daily wage worker, how will he feed his family? Think about people, time to be a human, not Hindu, Muslim. People will have to help each other, collect funds. Stop hoarding.
"Rich will still survive; how will the poor survive? Have faith. We are living like animals, live like humans. Try to be helpful, please stop storing stuff. It is the time we look after each other. No time to be divided, we have to live as humans," he added.
Last week, Akhtar had blamed the eating habits of Chinese people for the deadly disease, which has brought several countries to a practical standstill.
“I don’t understand why you have to eat things like bats, drink their blood and urine and spread some virus across the globe…I’m talking about the Chinese people. They have put the world at stake. I really don’t understand how you can eat bats, dogs, and cats. I’m really angry,” Shoaib had said in a Youtube video.
“The whole world is at risk now. The tourism industry has been hit, the economy is badly affected and the whole world is going towards a lockdown. I’m not against the people of China but I’m against the law of animals. I understand this may be your culture but this is not benefitting you now, it is killing humanity. I’m not saying you boycott the Chinese but there has to be some law. You cannot go on and eat anything and everything,” he further remarked.
As of March 23, the COVID-19 pandemic has claimed more than 14,000 lives and infected over 338,000 people globally.
In Pakistan, around 800 confirmed cases have been reported thus far while five people have lost their lives.
