NDMA dismisses 'fake news' of verbal duel between Gen Afzal and CM Murad

ISLAMABAD: The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Tuesday rubbished social media allegation of an exchange of hot words between Lt Gen Mohammad Afzal and Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah during a meeting of the National Coordination Committee (NCC) a day earlier.

The NDMA in a statement on its official Twitter account said the report is “fake” and no such "incident” took place.

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Certain social media accounts on Monday claimed that Gen Afzal had raised his voice at CM Murad when the issue of testing kits came up during the NCC meeting chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan.

“Sindh govt had been spreading the rumors and playing politics on Coronavirus testing kits. Earlier they were complaining that Fed isnt giving them kits, while sitting on 6000 kits themselves,” a user had said on micro-blogging site.

The NDMA responded to the same account and said: “It's a fake news. No incident of exchange of words has taken place between Chairman #NDMA & CM Sindh.”

“Gen Afzal has very professional and respectful relations with Mr Murad Ali Shah,” it further added.

Sindh government spokesperson Murtaza Wahab also denied the incident and clarified that the provincial government had informed the federal authorities about faulty kits within hours.

“For the record, the kits received were of sub standard quality, as is evident from the prescription note. Expert doctors refused these kits & the same were immediately returned. This was stated by CM Sindh in front of everyone & there was no reaction, forget yelling by anyone,” Wahab tweeted.

“Sindh Govt within 2 hours of receiving these kits had informed the Federal Govt that these kits were not appropriate for clinic examination as advised by the expert doctors & stated in the prescription note of the kits,” Wahab added.