Govt urged to prevent Manga residents from sneaking out

MARDAN: The residents of Mardan have asked the provincial government and the district administration to take proper steps to prevent the people of Manga Union Council from staying with their relatives at other parts of the district.

Though Manga Union Council has been under lockdown since it reported the country’s first death from the novel coronavirus, its residents have managed to stay with their relatives in other parts of the district, which could spread the virus to different parts. This trend has created panic among the people worried for their safety. Sources added that majority of the influential people in different parts of the district had sheltered their relatives from Manga. It is feared that they may be carrying the virus and could infect others.

The residents of Mardan have urged authorities concerned to take proper steps to stop the people of Manga Union Council from moving to other parts of the district or else the virus could spread to other areas. Heavy contingents of police have been deployed in Manga since the death of one Saadat Khan due to coronavirus complications. The deceased had returned from Saudi Arabia after performing Umrah and hundreds of people had come to greet him on his homecoming.

After the death of Saadat Khan, the screening and testing of his relatives and neighbours was carried out. During the process, 79 people from the village, including relatives of the deceased, tested positive for Covid-19 and were subsequently quarantined. Abdus Salam, Member Provincial Assembly elected from PK-53 also tested positive.

The lawmaker had visited Manga in connection with some relief work and got inflected. Superintendent of Police (Operations) Mardan Waqar Azeem Kharal also tested positive for coronavirus. He was performing duty at Manga Union Council. A few days ago Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmaker Zahir Shah Toru in a video on social media appealed to Prime Minister Imran Khan to hand over Mardan district to Pakistan Army in order to stop the spread of coronavirus in the district.

In his message, he said that coronavirus might get out of control in the Mardan district. Recently, President of Young Doctors Association (YDA), Mardan chapter, Dr Ziaur Rahman in a video message also said that it would be difficult to control Covid-19 if efforts were not made to contain it.

The local administration and Mardan police have established a separate control room to get information about suspected coronavirus patients. However, the people have been reluctant to share information with the authorities, fearing that their identity might be leaked and it could create problems for them.