Pakistan seals western border as virus patients jump to 28

By News Desk

ISLAMABAD: The government has announced the complete closure of the country’s borders with Iran and Afghanistan for two weeks in a bid to prevent the spread of coronavirus as the number of confirmed patients in the country jumped to 28.

According to the Ministry of Interior, the decision was taken in pursuance of the directives passed by the National Security Committee meeting held here on Friday. The order directs the “complete sealing of western border of Pakistan with Afghanistan and Iran, as directed by the National Security Committee in its meeting held on 13th March 2020, for an initial period of two weeks (14 days) w.e.f. 16th March 2020”.

The move is the latest such action as countries around the world act swiftly to restrict travel in an attempt to slow the global outbreak, which was this week declared a pandemic. “The borders are being closed in the best interest of all three brotherly countries,” the interior ministry said in its notification. International flights into Pakistan would only come in through Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi.

The measure was among a set of steps decided in the NSC meeting led by Prime Minister Imran Khan over the pandemic that has so far killed more than 5,000 people around the world. In another step, it was decided that March 23 parades would be cancelled.

Furthermore, a decision to close all educational institutions until April 5 was made, according to Education Minister Shafqat Mehmood. The educational institutions comprise public and private schools and universities, vocational institutions, and madrassas, he specified in a series of tweets.

Shortly after the meeting, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said the federal and provincial governments were continuously monitoring the developments related to the coronavirus. “People need not worry. Thanks God, the coronavirus pandemic is under control in Pakistan,” Qureshi added.

He also spoke about the annual Raiwand congregation, which draws thousands of people from across the country. “The length of the Raiwind gathering has been curtailed and Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar informed us of the arrangements that have been made in Dera Ghazi Khan. Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah apprised us of the measures taken in his province,” the foreign minister said, adding that China had very effectively fought the pandemic.

“We took proactive measures and that is why not many [people] are affected by the pandemic,” Qureshi said, suggesting that cinema houses, movie theatres, marriage halls, and public gatherings should be closed.

Later in the evening, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Firdous Ashiq Awan and the Prime Minister’s special assistant on health, Dr Zafar Mirza addressed a news conference, during which Mirza revealed that the Pakistan’s number of coronavirus patients has jumped to 28 confirmed infections.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) rescheduled the remaining matches of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2020, with the final of the league moved up to March 18 from March 22. The playoffs have been replaced with the semi-finals on March 17 and the final on 18 March. The decision means the PSL 2020 has been reduced by four days. According to the revised schedule, the 17 March semi-finals will be double-headers and will be held at the Gaddafi Stadium with the table-toppers going head to head with the fourth-placed side at 2pm.

This match will be followed by the second semi-final, which will begin at 7pm, between the second and third-placed sides. The final will be played on 18th March and will start at 7:00pm. All these changes have been made with the consultation of the team owners, the PCB said.