A soldier inquires a household in a car at a check-post throughout a lockdown in Bhara Kahu. PHOTO: REUTERS
ISLAMABAD / RAWALPINDI: With the variety of novel coronavirus (Covid-19) instances within the federal capital rising to 20 on Wednesday, the district administration introduced curfew-like measures within the metropolis, together with the closure of personal workplaces and public transport, and even sealed some areas owing to fears of clusters creating there.
The district administration sealed the suburban Union Council (UC) Kot Hathial within the Bhara Kahu space of the federal capital on Wednesday. That is the second time this week the UC has been sealed this week after it was shut down by police and models of the army for a number of hours on Monday.
With at the least 13 confirmed instances rising from the locality, all of them amongst a bunch of Tableeghi Jamaat members who had taken up lodging in an area mosque, officers feared that they may have created a cluster of Covid-19 instances within the locality. To make sure that no person leaves, military personnel have been deployed on the entry and exit factors of the world.
The same transfer was seen within the Faizabad space the place the legislation enforcement companies (LEAs) shut down all markets and shops whereas the transport hub was additionally cordoned off by troopers. A number of folks had been reported to have been affected by the extremely contagious virus within the space, therefore All unrelated folks had been directed to depart the world on the earliest.
Implementing the lockdown
Regardless of the lockdown introduced by the district administration, locals appeared to disregard the executive orders and selected to enterprise out of their properties in teams.
Some drove across the capital of their vehicles or on their motorbikes whereas others had been seen roaming and loitering on greenbelts and roadside parks.
Nonetheless, the capital police had been vigorous in imposing orders of the district administration underneath which mass gatherings of the general public are banned and solely a single motorist is allowed in every car, besides in an emergency.
A number of folks, who had been wandering or sitting in parks in teams had been instructed to return residence by the police. They had been additional suggested to remain indoors.
Many households who drove round with the intent of excursions had been stopped by the police at pickets established on varied thoroughfares in Islamabad.
Those that failed to supply any purpose for stepping out residence had been stopped from continuing and directed to return properties.
Solely these commuting to work, buying groceries or medical gadgets or dashing to hospitals in an emergency had been allowed to proceed from the pickets.
Inspector Normal Police (IGP) Aamir Zulfiqar Khan appealed to residents of the town to remain at residence and keep away from pointless motion.
He added that pillion driving within the federal capital has been banned whereas any motion in the direction of Bhara Kahu locality has additionally been prohibited.
Rawalpindi goes into lockdown
Like in neighbouring Islamabad, all outlets, markets and business actions in Rawalpindi had been closed on Wednesday.
The closure got here after Punjab introduced a common lockdown of the province. Folks, who had been instructed to remain inside their homes, left the streets empty.
Main business centres corresponding to Raja Bazar, Barra market, Industrial Market, Saddar and different locations within the metropolis additionally remained closed on Tuesday. Nonetheless, all of the medical and common shops are open within the metropolis
Police vans patrolled the streets to ensure that that a lot of folks don’t collect anyplace.
Residents of the town, nonetheless, voiced their satisfaction over the measures taken by the federal government.
There can be extra probabilities of the coronavirus unfold had the federal government not imposed a lockdown, they mentioned.
Lockdown
The Islamabad Capital Territory Administration (ICTA) had late on Tuesday introduced particular measures to implement a partial lockdown within the federal capital to make sure public security.
A notification issued by the ICTA mentioned that these measures had been in continuation to an order issued by Inside Ministry earlier to impose the Part 144 in Islamabad. The measures will stay in drive till at the least April 7.
The notification mentioned that every one markets, purchasing malls, eating places and personal workplaces shall stay closed. Public workplaces will operate for decreased hours from 10am to 4pm, besides on Fridays when they’ll function from 10am to 1pm.
To cease the motion of any suspected Covid-19 affected person, ICTA has banned all intra-city, inter-district and inter-province public transport. Nonetheless, it has allowed the metro bus service between Rawalpindi and Islamabad to ply for 4 hours every day.
The discover mentioned that the bus service will stay practical in two spells, from 8am to 10:30am and from 3:30pm to five:30pm. On Fridays, the bus service will function from 8:30am to 10:30am and from 12:30pm to 2:30pm.
Conserving in view that folks should journey for primary or emergency wants, the ICTA has allowed taxis to proceed. There shall even be an entire ban on every kind of gatherings together with social and spiritual at anywhere corresponding to public or non-public. The outpatient departments (OPDs) in all hospitals would stay suspended. Nonetheless, emergency companies will stay operational.
With extra enter by APP
Printed in The Categorical Tribune, March 26th, 2020.
