1,048 arrested in Peshawar as lockdown tightened

PESHAWAR: As many as 1,048 people were held in the provincial capital for violation of the lockdown in the last two weeks while eight cases were registered against 10 prayer leaders for not complying with the orders regarding social distancing on Friday.

The lockdown has been further tightened. More roads of the city have been blocked by placing barbed wire. Around 3,000 policemen along with traffic cops and soldiers are deployed in different parts of Peshawar to ensure the lockdown in a bid to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

“We have registered over 500 cases and arrested 1,048 people for violation of the lockdown since February 22. More steps are being taken across the provincial capital to ensure that people remain at home and don’t come out unless there is urgency,” Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Operations Zahoor Babar Afridi told The News. He added that the arrested people have been charged under different sections of law. Special teams of the district administration, army and police have been formed to visit various parts of Peshawar to ensure implementation of the lockdown. On Friday, police officers made announcements from their official cars and loudspeakers of mosques asking the people to remain at home.

The officers also held meetings with the religious scholars to seek their help in asking public to offer prayers at home. “Our officers went to mosques in their areas and sought the help of the prayers leaders in ensuring social distancing to fight coronavirus. Eight cases were registered in Hayatabad, University Town, Tehkal and Agha Mir Jani Shah against prayer leaders for violations,” said the SSP.

He maintained that the police have fully ensured the decision regarding lockdown. He said there were some violations and the police apprehended the clerics and took affidavit from them. There were rumours about an incident in Mathra village near Peshawar on Thursday night as people on the social media linked a firing incident with the decision of the government not to allow the Friday prayers amid the Covid-19 crisis. The posts said four people were killed and four were others were injured on the issue of Friday prayers in Zareef Koroona in Mathra.

Later, police officers said no firing happened on the issue of Friday prayers in Peshawar. According to Superintendent of Police Rural, Najmul Husnain one party attacked a house in Mathra Thursday night, resulting in death of four people and injuries to four others of the same family.

He explained that the two parties had some altercation over the issue of a religious gathering in the mosque on Wednesday. The official said raids were being conducted to arrest the accused brothers and their accomplices. During the lockdown, meanwhile, the Traffic Police have issued ticket to many vehicles for violation. According to SSP Traffic Waseem Ahmad Khalil, 532 vehicles have been impounded during the action against vehicles violating the lockdown.

The Traffic Police is also running an awareness campaign in the city and on the highways to educate the drivers about the threat of coronavirus. Deputy Inspector General of Police Traffic, Mohammad Karim Khan along with his officers met the traffic sergeants on Kohat Road and other highways and directed them to ensure action against the drivers who were not complying with the directives of the government to prevent spread of coronavirus. The DIG Traffic was informed that 120 vehicles have been impounded and its passengers screened in their respective districts. The officials said 4,769 vehicles were also issued ticket on highways for traffic violations.