Commuters without masks punished in Faisalabad

Officials give harsh punishments on roads to enforce Covid-19 SOPs

FAISALABAD: In a bid to enforce preventive measures against the spread of novel coronavirus, district administration officials and police are punishing commuters not wearing face masks on the roads by slapping them, forcing them to stand facing walls, deflating the tyres of their vehicles and threatening to tase them.

The district administration and police teams launched a campaign along with army personnel on various roads in the city to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, especially to force citizens to wear masks.

At Chenab Chowk, district administration employees under the supervision of Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Ali and police officials punished citizens on the spot for not wearing face masks.

At the Agriculture University Chowk, district administration officials threatened those flouting the standard operating procedures (SOPs) announced to curb the spread of Covid-19 with stun batons.

Faisalabad, the third-largest city in Punjab, has seen a sharp rise in the number of coronavirus patients after Eidul Fitr. More than 2,000 people in the city are infected by the virus.

Talking to The Express Tribune, a local lawyer, Advocate Zain Maqsood Rahmani, said no law had been enacted by the government allowing the district administration or any other department to give such harsh punishments to citizens.

On the other hand, a citizen, Imran Ahmed, said the harsh attitude of the district administration would not be accepted by the people and the SOPs could not be enforced in this way.

When contacted, Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Ali said that it was not allowed to threaten the citizens with stun batons. He said action would be taken against those involved in such incidents.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 8^th, 2020.