Coronavirus threat: Pak-Afghan border closed for 15 days

LANDIKOTAL: The Pak-Afghan border at Torkham has been closed for 15 days from today as safety measures to stop the spread of the coronavirus. A notification was issued from the Khyber deputy commissioner on Sunday. It asked the Afghan and Pakistani citizens to cross the Torkham border before it was closed for all kinds of movement. Around 50,000 Afghan citizens, including women, children and truckers reached Torkham border to enter Afghanistan. The Afghan side of the Torkham border was also over-crowded with Pakistani nationals who wanted to enter Pakistan. They said import and export would also be suspended during the two weeks border closure. The officials, however, said emergency patients coming from Afghanistan could enter Pakistan. The Pakistani authorities set up quarantine centers at Torkham border town and in Landikotal. The Pakistan Army doctors were on standby at the Combined Military Hospitals in Landikotal and Peshawar to assist the suspected coronavirus patients. The army set up quarantine centres as well at various locations to cope with the possible coronavirus outbreak. The staff at District Headquarters Hospital in Landikotal specified isolation rooms in the hospital for the coronavirus patients. The officials asked residents to remain at homes and avoid participating in public gatherings and other functions. A wave of fear hit the people after they heard the government closed the border over the coronavirus threat.