Pakistan court issues notice to US embassy over COVID-19 damages suit

A civil court in Lahore has issued notices to the US Embassy in Pakistan and others on a $20 billion damages suit filed by a citizen over the spread of COVID-19, a lawyer said on Thursday.

A senior advocate from Lahore Waseem Yusuf Khan, who witnessed the court proceedings, told Xinhua news agency that the plaintiff named Raza Ali, who recovered from COVID-19 recently, alleged in his suit on Wednesday that the US was solely responsible for the unchecked spread of the virus which incurred losses on him, his family and the country, reports Xinhua news agency.

The plaintiff has also made US Consul General in Lahore, the Secretary of Defense through the consul general defendants in his petition, saying that his family members were suffering and their health was compromised.

He alleged that the virus was spread in the world because the defendants failed to fulfil their duties to the international community and put billions of human lives in danger.

According to the Ali, the unrestricted spread of the virus in the US and stance of the country's leadership became the basic cause for the spread of the virus all over the world, including Pakistan.

"The defendants are responsible for the colossal death toll, misery, and economic disasters they inflicted on the world, including but not limited to entire Pakistan," said the petition, adding that the US administration has been generating hurdles before international unity and global strategy to fight COVID-19.

The civil judge of the court issued notices to the respondents and asked them to appear before the court on August .

According to local media reports, the court has also sought a legal opinion to stop the US Consul General from leaving Pakistan until the decision of the petition.