Gilgit-Baltistan Agriculture Minister Haji Janbaz Khan died of coronavirus at a local hospital in the region’s capital on Thursday, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

After being diagnosed with the virus, the minister was under treatment at Gilgit’s City Hospital where he breathed his last.

His maternal grandson in a tweet said that his lungs had been severely infected resulting in double pneumonia and was on a ventilator for the past four days.  

https://twitter.com/Kohistaanii/status/1273540911004364800

Being a well-known politician in Gilgit-Baltistan, the people of the region expressed their feelings on Twitter as soon as the reports of his demise appeared on media.

https://twitter.com/Idreesgb/status/1273547744410509313

Some were critical of the government and the shortage of oxygen at the state-run hospitals amid the rise in the coronavirus cases.

https://twitter.com/jamilnagri/status/1273535243648188422

Late Janbaz Khan was elected to the Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly from Diamer on a PML-N ticket.

https://twitter.com/UsmanAk35982261/status/1273566976787570690

Although the Gilgit-Baltistan government was initially able to control the virus spread, the number of cases are on the rise in recent days. So far, a total of 1,213 cases and 18 deaths have been reported in the region.