Locals panicked as quarantine centre set up

BAHAWALPUR: The locals were panicked on Monday when a quarantine centre was established at Civil Hospital Bahawalpur for pilgrims, who came back from Iran.

Doctors and other paramedical staff of Civil Hospital Jhangiwala Road staged a silent protest against the evacuation of more than 350 patients, including pregnant women and minor children at midnight from the Civil Hospital to other places to make place for the pilgrims returning from Iran.

The hospital doctors told reporters that so far no coronavirus case was reported in Bahawalpur division and shifting of pilgrims from Iran would increase the risk of the virus in Bahawalpur.

Protesting doctors led PMA Bahawalpur chapter president Dr Itikhar Bhatti said they are ready to serve in the quarantine centre.

The authorities have ordered a quarantine centre at Civil Hospital Jhangiwala Road for some 1, 800 to 1,900 pilgrims coming from Iran.

The authorities also got evacuated six hostels of the Islamia University Baghdad ul Jadeed campus for the pilgrims.

The lawyers’ community also expressed their concern over the quarantine centre in Bahawlpur.

LHC Bar Bahawlpur bench president Raja Sohail Ifthikhar and secretary general Muhammad Akram Balooch in a press conference said this was the greatest injustice to the people of Bahawalpur. They accused the Punjab government of spread pandemic in Bahawalpur.

They warned the district administration and Punjab government health department that notification of quarantine center should be withdrawn forthwith otherwise lawyers’ community would observe strike.