Tag: lockdown

  • Lockdown extended till April 30 but barbershops will remain open

    Lockdown extended till April 30 but barbershops will remain open

    The federal cabinet on Tuesday decided to extend the lockdown imposed to deal with the coronavirus pandemic in the country till April 30.

    According to reports, the decision was taken in a meeting of the cabinet chaired by Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan, keeping in view the increasing number of coronavirus infections and the persisting economic situation in the country.

    During the meeting, it was decided that apart from opening the construction industry, other economic and financial sectors will also be made operational.

    Tailors, plumbers, electricians, mechanics and barbers will be allowed to run their businesses, while the ban on transport, air travel and reopening of markets, shopping malls, marriage halls and other public places would remain in place.

    The final approval to extend the lockdown will be given in the next meeting of the National Coordination Committee (NCC) also scheduled for today.

    By the time this report was filed, the number of COVID-19 infections in Pakistan stood at 5,812 with 100 deaths and 1,378 recoveries. Punjab had reported 2,856 cases while Sindh trailed behind at 1,518, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) at 800, Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) at 233, Balochistan at 231, Islamabad at 131 and Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK) at 43.

  • Teenager in India attempts to smuggle friend in a suitcase

    Teenager in India attempts to smuggle friend in a suitcase

    When his apartment complex banned all visitors due to the coronavirus outbreak and a strict lockdown in place, a teenager in Mangalore, India attempted to smuggle his friend inside his building in a suitcase.

    According to a report in Gulf News, the teenager stepped out of the building on a scooter, with a huge suitcase and returned with his friend inside of it.

    The matter came to light when the suitcase moved while being taken into the apartment complex. The people at the apartment grew suspicious and eventually told the security guards and the building association. The suitcase was opened and the building authorities were shocked to find the teenager’s friend inside it.

    The authorities reported the matter to the police who then called the parents of the two youngsters.

    The teenager’s family told the police that he lives alone in the apartment. The teenager also told the police that he had made several requests to the building authorities and appealed to them but representatives said that such appeals were never made.

  • Tourists in India forced to write ‘sorry’ 500 times for violating coronavirus lockdown

    Ten foreigners who broke a coronavirus lockdown in an Indian town made famous by the Beatles were forced to repent by writing “I am so sorry” — 500 times, according to reports.

    The nationwide lockdown was imposed near the end of March, with residents permitted to leave their homes only for essential services such as buying groceries and medicine.

    The travellers — from Israel, Mexico, Australia and Austria — were caught taking a walk in Rishikesh, where the Beatles sought spirituality at an Ashram in 1968.

    Local police officer Vinod Sharma said they were each made to write “I did not follow the rules of lockdown so I am so sorry” 500 times.

    More than 700 foreign tourists from the US, Australia, Mexico and Israel staying in the area had flouted the lockdown rules, Sharma said, adding the unusual punishment was handed out to teach them a lesson.

    Police said they would direct hotels in the area to allow foreign guests to step out only if accompanied by local helpers.

    Establishments that did not follow the order could face legal action, Sharma said.

    Police have come up with unusual methods to encourage people to stay home to halt the spread of the deadly disease, including wearing coronavirus-shaped helmets.

    But officers in some states were also seen in videos on social media beating drivers on roadsides and making people out and about during lockdown do squats and leapfrogs as punishment.

    Some states have already extended the restrictions.

    On Sunday, India had registered more than 8,300 coronavirus cases and 273 deaths from the disease.

  • Sheheryar Munawar wants his life back

    Sheheryar Munawar wants his life back

    Three weeks into quarantine and we all feel like we’re going to lose our minds. But then again, that is not exactly unexpected given our highly charged lifestyles.

    Sheheryar Munawar recently in an Instagram post wrote, “You Corona! Take the hint, you’re not wanted. Go away already…I want my life back.”

    We feel you Sheheryar.

    But at the same time, Sheheryar wrote, “You’re not alone. There are a lot of us feeling the same way. What helps me is repeating a positive affirmation to myself when I feel stressed. Something like Amir Khan’s ‘All is Well’ from 3 Idiots.”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B-y-t-0n3L5/

    Earlier, Sheheryar had encouraged his fans to make the best of their time in quarantine.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B-jfUsLHt6_/

  • Praise for PM, his team as ‘historic’ social assistance programme to tackle coronavirus is launched

    Pakistan has launched the largest social protection effort in the country’s history with plans to pay close to $1 billion dollars to the poor in an effort to counter the economic fallout amid the new coronavirus — COVID-19 — outbreak, CNN reported.

    The Ehsaas Emergency Cash programme is a financial assistance effort to assist parts of the population that have been worst hit by the ongoing lockdown in the country, according to Sania Nishtar, special assistant to Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan on Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety.

    The programme, which aims to cover 12 million families, is meant to assist them to “buy rations so that they don’t go hungry”.

    The premier himself has also lauded the “historic” transfer of cash to the needy, terming it a “great achievement” of his government.

    “Today saw the launch of the biggest cash distribution by any government in Pakistan’s history, directly to the most vulnerable and needy citizens in our society,” he said in a series of tweets.

    Authorities have used SMS messages and Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC) numbers from the country’s extensive National Database & Registration Authority (NADRA) to identify and contact eligible families.

    By the time this report was filed, the number of confirmed cases in Pakistan stood at 4,688 with 68 fatalities and 727 recoveries.

  • Helplines for women facing violence during coronavirus crisis

    Helplines for women facing violence during coronavirus crisis

    The coronavirus induced lockdown has forced everyone to stay at home. While the home is thought to be a safe place, it is being reported that cases of domestic violence have spiked in the past couple of days – not only in Pakistan but across the world. Human Rights Organisations in all countries are stepping up to assist women and children who are victims of domestic abuse and feel unsafe in their homes.

    Rozan, a non-government organisation, is offering psychological counselling in Pakistan through a telephonic helpline.

    It was launched to help the survivors of gender-based violence and women and girls in abusive situations during the coronavirus quarantine. There will be a special focus on women and children’s needs during this time, said the CSO on Twitter.

    Rozan counsellors are working from home from Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm to provide counselling on telephones. The helpline numbers are: 0335-5000401, 0335-5000402 and 0335-5000403. Their toll-free number is 0800 22444.

    Work crisis management will also be available. The organisation said it will provide guidance on how managers and employees can work more effectively.

    This service, called the Rozan response to COVID-19, was a result of a collaboration between the CSO and the United Nations Population Fund which is the UN’s agency working on sexual and reproductive health issues.

    Ministry of Human Rights also launched a helpline for those facing violence during this lockdown.

  • Coronavirus lockdown: No crime reported in Rawalpindi since March 24

    Coronavirus lockdown: No crime reported in Rawalpindi since March 24

    No crime has been reported in Rawalpindi since the imposition of coronavirus lockdown on March 24, a report quoted police as saying.

    “The reason behind crime dropping to zero is that criminals fear the virus and also don’t want to put themselves at risk while numerous personnel of law enforcement agencies patrol the city,” police said.

    Saddar Division SP Rai Mazhar Iqbal said the crime rate, however, had started to decline before the lockdown was put in place. “Before the lockdown, the crime rate had already reduced by 70% to 80%,” he said, adding that the remaining 20% to 25% was taken care of by the lockdown.

    It merits a mention that Punjab remains the worst-affected by the new coronavirus — COVID-19 — as the number of confirmed cases on Tuesday reached 2,004.

    Sindh is trailing far behind with 986 cases, followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) with 500 cases.

    Infections in Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK)/Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), Balochistan and Islamabad for now stand at 229, 202 and 83, respectively.

    As many as 55 coronavirus deaths and 429 recoveries had been reported in Pakistan by the time this report was filed.

  • Indian court allows man to go out to buy food for cats amid strict lockdown

    The Kerala High Court approved permission to a petitioner on Monday to travel to get “Meo-Persian biscuits” for three of his cats amid the strict coronavirus lockdown in India.

    N Prakash who is an  owner of three cats, had moved the court after he was denied to travel by police to get food for his pets.

    According to the directives by the Kerala government, residents have to get a travel permit based on an affidavit for leaving their houses, even if  they have to go to buy essential food items.

    Prakash, stated in his petition, that “as a pure vegetarian, he could not cook non-vegetarian food in his house”. He said that he had applied for the travel pass online, but his application was rejected.

    Upon hearing the appeal, the judge said that the petitioner could go to buy cat food on the basis of a self declaration, along with a court order.

    He added that the court will pass a general order in this regard to cover situations like this.

  • ‘Shoot them dead’: President Duterte warns against violating coronavirus lockdown

    ‘Shoot them dead’: President Duterte warns against violating coronavirus lockdown

    Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has warned he would order the country’s police and military to shoot dead anyone “who creates trouble” during a month-long lockdown of the island of Luzon enforced to halt the spread of the coronavirus, France 24 reported.

    “Let this be a warning to all. Follow the government at this time because it is critical that we have order,” he said in a late-night televised national address on Wednesday.

    “And do not harm the health workers, the doctors … because that is a serious crime. My orders to the police and the military, if anyone creates trouble, and their lives are in danger: shoot them dead.”

    “Do not intimidate the government. Do not challenge the government. You will lose,” he added in Filipino and English.

    Duterte’s warning came after residents of a slum in Manila’s Quezon City staged a protest along a highway near their shanty houses, claiming they had not received any food packs and other relief supplies since the lockdown began more than two weeks ago.

    Village security officers and police urged the residents to go back to their homes, but they refused, a police report said.

    Police broke up the protest and arrested 20 people, the report added.

    Health authorities in the Philippines have recorded 2,311 cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus as of Wednesday. At least 96 people have died.

  • Man insists for samosas amid lockdown in India, gets punishment for trouble

    Man insists for samosas amid lockdown in India, gets punishment for trouble

    A youth in Rampur, India called up the district magistrate’s control room and asked for four samosas with chutney claiming that he had a strong craving for them.

    As per reports, despite being ticked off several times, the man kept on calling the control room and insisted them for samosas. After numerous calls, Aujaneya Kumar — the district magistrate— asked the officials to send him the samosas.

    Later, the district magistrate Kumar also sent out an order for the man to clean the drain, as a punishment for troubling the control room officials during lockdown.

    He also shared the pictures of the man cleaning the drain on his Twitter handle, but he did not reveal the name of the man.