People play football on a greenbelt in Islamabad despite a ban on the assembly of more than four individuals. PHOTO: ZAFAR RAJA/EXPRESS
This was suggested by the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) district administration on Monday even as nearly 30 medical staffers at a large tertiary care hospital in the federal capital were declared clear of the virus.
ICT Deputy Commissioner Hamza Shafqaat on Monday said that a decision on de-sealing the suburban localities of Bhara Kahu and Shahzad Town is expected to be taken on Tuesday (today) based on the test results of some suspected Covid-19 patients there.
Should those test results come back as positive, they could extend the complete closure of these areas for a while longer though any decision on de-sealing these areas is predicated on clearance from health officials.
The district administration cannot take any risks, he said.
The locality of Kot Hathiyal in Bhara Kahu and Shahzad Town was sealed on March 24 and March 26 respectively, after Covid-19 positive cases were reported there. There was a fear of a cluster forming in the former after around a dozen evangelists were found to have been staying at a local mosque to preach but some amongst them were infected with the virus.
Similarly in Shahzad Town, the positive case was found amongst a preacher.
However, the Islamabad district administration had last week de-sealed the Rimsha Colony in Sector H-9 after a detailed survey, contact tracing, ground surveillance and testing of suspected patients. The colony had been sealed at the same time as Shahzad Town.
Meanwhile, the number of Covid-19 patients in the federal capital rose to 82.
Polyclinic staff test negative
Around 30 doctors and staff at the Polyclinic, kept in quarantine after they were suspected to have been infected with Covid-19, were discharged on Monday after testing negative for the virus.
As many as 25 doctors and the three members of the hospital’s staff were shifted to an isolation ward after being suspected of contracting the virus on March 27. The move was undertaken after a doctor living in the hospital’s hostel tested positive for the virus.
“No signs of coronavirus were found in the doctors and the staff of the Polyclinic,” sources privy to the development said.
Lockdown flouted in Pindi
After remaining indoors for the past 13 days and despite the fact that the provincial government extending a lockdown due to Covid-19 for another 10 days, residents of Rawalpindi came out onto the streets in force on Monday. The police appeared helpless at restraining the public.
Heavy traffic and pillion riding were witnessed on Murree Road, Mall Road, Airport Road, GT Road, Peshawar Road, Rawal Road, Saidpur Road despite the bans in place on both.
Meanwhile, a rush of shoppers was seen in the Nankari Bazaar, Raja Bazaar, Ganjmandi, Dengi Khoi, and Ghalamandi. Wholesalers, in particular continued their businesses behind lowered shutters. They took orders via phone and delivered them as and when they felt the coast was clear.
Azhar Mahmood, who bought disposal plates from Nankari Bazaar said that they had become fed up while staying constantly at home. He added that daily life had come to a standstill owing to the two-week lockdown and that they cannot bear government-imposed restrictions any longer.
With large and small traders equally perturbed, Mahmood said that if goods are not supplied, how will the wheel of commerce keep spinning.
Meanwhile, having been granted an exemption by the district government, stores of dry cleaners and some barbers in the city also opened on Monday. These were swarmed by the public while the staff at these stores was seen dealing with customers while wearing masks and gloves.
Some dry cleaners and barbers have started offering home service. Dry cleaners pick up the dirty clothes and then deliver the cleaned clothes to homes while barbers are visiting homes individually to offer services to their clients.
No divorces filed
With the lockdown imposed in the country due to the Covid-19 pandemic, confining married couples to their homes, no petitions for divorces have been filed in the family or the district courts of Rawalpindi over the past 12 days.
Moreover, court officials on Monday said that they have received no documents for registering court marriage contracts during this period either.
The district kutcheri nikkahkhwan (marriage registrar) told The Express Tribune on Monday that no one had contacted him over the past 12 days to solemnise any court marriage.
Official records further showed that no women victims of violence (mental or physical) took shelter in the Darul Amaan or Darul Falah. Moreover, at least 11 women, who were staying at the Darul Aman, returned to their homes.
Rise of beggars
With the lockdown creating a difficult situation for the underprivileged and poor, particularly day labourers and other daily wagers, professional beggars seem to be taking advantage of public sentiments.
These professional beggars disguise themselves as labourers or daily-wage workers seek alms from those visiting grocery stores in the markets of the twin cities.
Several such impersonators can be seen roaming different roads in the city as early as 7am. They continue to hold their spot until 10pm.
Some of them can be seen holding a shovel or other heavy equipment to fool people. Many dress similarly and go door to door asking for charity. Women alms seekers usually take up positions outside grocery, dairy, fruit and vegetable shops in different areas of the city. They ask shoppers to spare some loose change as well as convince people to buy them essential items.
They even rush to places where they learn rations are being doled out, crowding out those who really need support.
Meanwhile, the police caught at least two professional beggars who were impersonating daily wage labourers.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 7th, 2020.
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