MUZAFFARABAD: Authorities in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) have ordered that a complete lockdown be re-imposed across the territory from today (Monday) over rising coronavirus cases, in a break from the rest of Pakistan which has been gradually easing restrictions.
AJK Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider Khan ordered authorities to restore restrictions which were set to begin from 12.00am on Monday. Earlier in the day, the AJK health department reported three new cases of coronavirus during the last 24 hours, taking the number of confirmed infections to 112.
He said grocery shops and medical stores will be allowed to operate as per schedule finalised by the AJK government. The AJK Premier also announced the suspension of transport until Eidul Fitr, and appealed to citizens not to leave their houses unnecessarily.
The AJK Prime Minister added that the decision to restore the lockdown was made by the government in view of the rising number of coronavirus patients.
In a notification issued by the AJK home department afterwards, the decision was made due to the “rapid spread” of coronavirus as well as the “dangerous increase in patients” across the territory. The notification also said an April 24 notification easing restrictions had been suspended under the Epidemic Diseases Act XXXVI-1958.
The move came as total coronavirus cases across Pakistan breached the grim milestone of 40,000 — with 41,165 cases and nearly 900 deaths as the lockdown-weary country moved to ease Covid-19 curbs imposed to prevent the spread of the disease.
At the federal government’s insistence, provinces have been easing coronavirus restrictions in varying degrees, with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab set to resume public transport and open shopping malls as Eid approaches. Even Sindh, which has been at odds with the Centre over the virus response and has been characterised by government ministers as recalcitrant, also relented and announced on Sunday that public transport would be restored in the province after Eid.
However, the country’s public transport association chairman Ismatullah Niazi said on Sunday that public transport would not resume in Punjab from Monday (today) as was announced by the Usman Buzdar government, objecting to the standard operating procedures that the province had set out, Geo News reported.
He objected to the 20 per cent reduction in fares, the “50 per cent reduction in passengers (because the government has ordered that people cannot sit together)”. He added: “They cannot run public transport with 70 per cent losses.” He urged the government agree to transporters’ demands or else transport will not resume.
Meanwhile, Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid said the final decision to Pakistan Railways operations will be taken this week. Addressing a news conference in Rawalpindi, he said the decision will be taken after a meeting with Prime Minister Imran Khan. He stressed that the resumption of Pakistan Railways operation “is important to facilitate the passengers on the eve of Eidul Fitr”.
Some prisoners struggled to return to civilian life after their release
Iran shares a more than 900-kilometre border with Afghanistan
Economic Coordination Committee of Pakistan had already approved the export, facilitating the deal
Management of the institution has laid off 8 officers and employees to reduce administrative expenses
Both sides, it was learnt, were using heavy and automatic weapons during the skirmishes
Establishment Division has issued notification of the extension of suspension
