Tag: lockdown

  • COVID-19: Colony in Lahore under lockdown after massive increase in cases?

    Residents of Lahore’s Imamia Colony claim that the area has been sealed off by the police amid “a massive increase in the COVID-19 cases” as authorities told them to not leave their houses; however, both the government and police deny doing so.

    Reports quoted locals as saying that amid an increasing number of coronavirus cases in Punjab, especially Lahore, the government had put the residential area in the provincial capital under lockdown. They claimed that a fatality was also reported in the locality and the health department was “downplaying the situation”.

    The government, they said, had failed to screen people returning from Iran which led to the outbreak in the colony.

    “The health department is hiding the actual number of the cases,” the residents claimed, urging higher-ups to take notice of the cases.

    According to an audio clip viral on social media, a purported sub-inspector stationed at Shahdara Police Station could be heard telling someone to stay away from Imamia Colony due to a higher number of cases there. As per the clip, a patient also died of the virus and at least 80 per cent were infected in the colony.

    Shahdara Police denied this and said they didn’t seal the area, whereas the health secretary and his spokesperson remained unavailable despite many calls.

    Punjab government spokesperson Mussarat Jamsheed said it was all rumours. “All the areas are under observation and we are not hiding anything from the public,” the official said while asking people not to panic.

  • Govt hints at imposing curfew as over 470 arrested for violating Sindh lockdown

    Govt hints at imposing curfew as over 470 arrested for violating Sindh lockdown

    With people ignoring the provincial government’s orders amid the coronavirus outbreak, which led to at least 472 arrests on the first day of the lockdown on Monday, Sindh Information Minister Nasir Hussain Shah has hinted at imposing curfew across the province.

    The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) government had on Sunday imposed a 15-day lockdown effective March 23 as Pakistan continued to report cases of coronavirus. Across Sindh, six violators were on Monday arrested in Mirpur Khas, eight in Sukkur, 236 in Larkana and 222 in Karachi for violating the lockdown.

    Separately, a total of 72 cases were registered across the province. In Karachi, 33 cases were registered, whereas two in Mirpurkhas, one in Sukkur, and 36 in Larkana.

    Speaking to a private media outlet, Shah said that the government would be left with no option other than imposing a curfew if people still did not take the lockdown orders seriously.

    He once again appealed to the people to stay at home and support the government in the fight against COVID-19.

    According to reports, the number of confirmed infections in Pakistan has reached 903. At least seven deaths have also been recorded with Punjab reporting its first on Tuesday.

    Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid has said the patient was a 57-year-old and was under treatment at Lahore’s Mayo Hospital.

  • Coronavirus: Army confirms helping govt with lockdown

    Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General (DG) Major General Babar Iftikhar has said that Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa has issued directions for troops and medical resources to be deployed “as per need” in order to contain the spread of the new coronavirus.

    Addressing a press briefing Monday, he said that the government had summoned the army for assistance in accordance with the constitution. “This is the time to take tough and difficult decisions on an individual, familial and societal basis,” chief of the military’s media wing said.

    He said coronavirus was a danger that “we have never seen in our lifetimes” but that Pakistan Army is fully aware of its duty and would counter the pandemic with the nation’s help.

    Maj Gen Iftikhar said he wished to apprise the country’s citizens of the military’s efforts in the war against COVID-19, which has so far infected 882 people and left at least six people dead.

    The borders have been closed as a preventive measure but “the actual border is between the man and the coronavirus, which we have yet to take control of”, he said.

    “This will only be possible through self-discipline and cooperation. The best defense against the coronovirus is cooperation,” he said, adding that Pakistan was facing a serious challenge and that only with the people’s belief in the state could this problem be resolved.

    “Pakistan Army is well aware of its responsibility and will bring all of its resources to use,” he said, assuring the citizens that the army was standing alongside its people.

    “Despite being deployed at the Line of Control (LoC) and the western border, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Javed Qamar Bajwa has directed that all available soldiers and the Army’s medical resources be deployed to tackle the coronavirus,” he noted.

    “According to the notification issued by the federal and provincial governments, only hospitals, shops selling food items, medical stores, and food and medicine manufacturing industries would only remain open, while schools shall remain closed,” he added.

    Maj Gen Iftikhar stressed that the petrol pumps and markets would remain open only according to the timings issued by the respective provincial governments.

    The spokesperson also mentioned that Gen Bajwa had decided to donate one month’s salary to tackle the coronavirus pandemic, while personnel between the ranks of Brig to Lt Gen would donate three days’ worth of their salaries. The personnel below the Col rank and soldiers would donate two and one days’ worth of their salaries, respectively, he added.

    Maj Gen Iftikhar also urged people to follow the guidelines issued by health authorities and the government.

    With regard to the Pakistan Day, he said the citizens — the heirs of those who fought for the country’s independence — “face a new challenge, an evil that has taken over the entire world … so much so that even the developed nations seem powerless against COVID-19”.

    The army spokesperson added that there was a need for everyone to once again unite with a passion for safe Pakistan. “Today is also a day to remember our Kashmiri brothers and sisters, who, despite being helpless in the face of the worst state-sanctioned terrorism and this natural disaster, are an example of resistance in their fight for the right to self-determination,” he added.

    “People of the occupied Kashmir will be successful in their struggle,” he added.

  • Are you kidding us, Khan Sahib?

    Are you kidding us, Khan Sahib?

    Coronavirus pandemic has changed the dynamics of the entire world. Self-isolation, a concept most of us are not familiar with, will slowly but surely become necessary in the coming days. As Canadian Prime Minister (PM) Justin Trudeau said, “For a little while, this will be our new normal.”

    But while Trudeau and very few other world leaders, including New Zealand’s Jacinda Ardern, declare war on the pandemic, others, among whom is PM Imran Khan, still don’t appear to be understanding the gravity of the situation at hand.

    Four coronavirus patients have died in Pakistan — three in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and one in Sindh. The number of cases is rapidly increasing (645 in less than a month), and if a nationwide lockdown isn’t put in place, it will continue to rise exponentially.

    After sticking to his mantra of ‘ghabrana nahi hai [don’t panic]’ for the past few days, the premier does no longer seem very sure if the masses should panic or not.

    “Pakistan cannot afford to impose a total lockdown. 25% of the people in the country live below the poverty line,” PM Imran said in his second address to the nation in three days on Sunday. “What will happen to them if I go ahead with the lockdown?”

    The premier added that if the economic situation of the country had been like that of Italy and China, he would have thought about imposing a lockdown. “Let me tell you what a lockdown is. A lockdown means putting a curfew and restricting people to their homes with the military on the streets,” he said.

    The situation escalated in Italy and China, Khan Sahib, evidently because the authorities didn’t impose a lockdown until it was too late.

    Your address to the nation and recent interaction with journalists were not exactly what we had hoped for. We understand you are worried about the poor, the daily wagers, the economy and many other things.

    But…

    After shutting down as much as the provincial governments already have, after the closure of educational institutions and the bearish trend in PSX amid global sell-out on COVID-19 fears, what further closures would a total lockdown entail?

    All international air operations are already closed. Most borders are closed. Wedding halls, shopping malls, restaurants are already shut. Massive unemployment has already been created. Moving towards total lockdown at this stage will presumably have a very little marginal impact.

    Is it paralysis of analysis which appears to be the hallmark of decision-making behind closed doors in Islamabad for quite some time now?

    In case of a total lockdown, what matters the most is taking care of the neglected segments of society – that they keep on receiving life support cash allowances or food aid. For starters, 50% of the budget of both civil and defence annual development programmes should be placed in a welfare account for such activities.

    Welfare… isn’t that what you promised, Khan Sahib?

    We know that a lockdown or delaying a lockdown is akin to be caught between a rock and a hard place. We understand that this is an immensely difficult and unforeseen situation but the government must act fast.

    Let’s learn from the mistakes made by countries that are the worst-hit by the new coronavirus, and try not to repeat them. 

    Lockdown does not mean that coronavirus cases will end, but it will definitely flatten the curve. This is what Pakistan needs to do. Our healthcare facilities are not equipped to deal with the impending crisis.