Foreign preachers leave Mansehra after recovery

MANSEHRA: The last group of 15 foreigners, which had been quarantined last month at the Tablighi Markaz for being Covid-19 positive, left for Islamabad after recovery on Monday for onward deportation to the respective countries.

“The fifteen foreigners quarantined at the Markaz left here for the federal capital after recovery from the viral infection. They would be deported to respective destinations subject to flights availability,” an official, Aurangzeb Haider Khan, told reporters.

The district administration had quarantined as many as 42 foreign preachers at the multi-storey Tablighi Markaz here after they had tested positive for the Covid-19 in early April.

The first group of 18 foreigners had left from Islamabad after tested negative thrice last month. A group of nine foreign preachers, according to the district administration, had left here for Islamabad earlier this month.

Chief Minister Mahmood Khan had during his recent visit to the district asked the district administration to deport all foreign preachers after recovery from the viral infection.

According to the data shared by the district administration with the media, almost all local members of Tablighi Jamaat, who were quarantined at the Markaz following testing positive for Covid-19 were allowed to return home after being screened negative repeatedly for the virus.

Meanwhile, the police arrested 200 traders and other people recently for violating the lockdown in the district. “We have held over 160 people over the violation of Covid-19 lockdown enforced by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government during the recent weeks,” Sadiq Baloch, district police officer, told reporters on Monday.

He said the police was actively pursuing its missions and tasks and besides maintaining lockdown, as many as nine outlaws wanted in murder, attempted murder and other heinous crimes were arrested as well.

“In order to enforce National Action Plan over 400 snap checking were carried out across district in recent weeks. Up to 32 suspected outlaws were arrested and a huge cache of arms and ammunition was seized from their possessions” said the official. He said narcotics were seized and many peddlers arrested during various raids.

The official said the complaint cell set up at his office had received nine applications and eight of them were addressed in accordance with the existing laws.