Punjab govt moves to seal more areas

Smart lockdown irks residents; traders protest against closure of businesses

LAHORE: The district administration sealed several markets and commercial areas in different coronavirus hotpots of the provincial capital to rein in local transmission of the disease on Thursday.

As per provincial government’s instructions, local administration and city police sealed various wholesale markets, like Akbari Mandi, Mochi Gate, Lohari, Dehli Gate, Azam Cloth Market, Pakistan Market, Shahalam, Rang Mahal, Soha Bazar and Crown Bus Adda, in and around the historic Walled City. Local authorities also sealed various shopping malls, plazas and brand stores on Gulberg Main Boulevard, MM Alam Road, Liberty Market and adjoining areas.

City police had erected barriers and deployed force at entry and exit points of these markets to restrict movement for all types of vehicular traffic since morning.

The government’s effort to enforce smart lockdown caused inconvenience to the local residents and shopkeepers. In several areas, especially outside commercial markets, traders and shopkeepers protested against closure of their businesses.

Speaking to media, Akbari Mandi traders Sheikh Akbar and Salamat Munir said business activity was already negligible owing to restrictions and now the government had announced complete embargo on commercial activity. “We are already bearing brunt of two months lockdown and now our businesses have been closed again. In every speech, Prime Minister Imran Khan claims that the government does not support lockdown but in practice his own party’s Punjab government has imposed lockdown in various areas,” they pointed out.

Similarly, residents of different neighbourhoods where the government imposed locked down also complained about highhandedness of police. A resident Muhammad Sharif said police had closed all streets leading to his neighbourhood by erecting barricades and barbed wires.

“Considering gravity of the coronavirus situation in provincial capital, we support smart lockdown but highhandedness of police officials and undue hassle cannot be supported on pretext of lockdown,” he lamented.

Similar complaints and remarks were also made by residents and traders for other areas of the metropolis.

Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Secretary Jawwad Rafique Malik directed the local administration to identify more coronavirus affected areas in their respective districts and send a report so as to extend the scope of the smart lockdown by declaring these areas as hotspots.

He issued these directions while presiding over a meeting held at the camp office to review the ongoing smart lockdowns in different cities of the province. Additional Chief Secretary Home Momin Agha, Commissioner Lahore Division Saif Anjum, and officers concerned attended the meeting while divisional commissioners, RPOs, deputy commissioners, and DPOs participated through video link.

The meeting considered extending the scope of lockdown to other worst-hit localities of different cities to protect precious human lives. A report submitted to the chief secretary said that smart lockdowns are causing a decrease in the number of cases of coronavirus and related deaths.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 26^th, 2020.