Courts in Islamabad sealed after 15 judges, 58 staffers test positive

Islamabad : As many as 15 judges and 58 staff members of the district courts in Islamabad have tested positive for the COVID-19 that forced the authorities concerned to seal the affected courts here on Friday. After the detection of several cases, the East and West courts at the district courts building have been sealed.

The Rawalpindi Bar Association (RBA) President Arshad Majeed Malik told ‘The News’ that they were strictly following proper SOPs during hearings in courts. The lawyers and clients are not being allowed in the courts without masks, he said. He expressed concerns about the closing of some courts in Islamabad after 15 judges and 58 staff members of the district courts in Islamabad tested positive for the COVID-19. He prayed for their early recovery.

The number of COVID-19 positive patients is rapidly increasing across the country in the fifth wave of the pandemic.

The twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad are reeling under the fifth wave of the coronavirus but the majority of the population is still reluctant to adopt Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and freely move here and there in markets without masks.

The Punjab Bar Council (PBC) Vice Chairman Farhan Shahzad has also expressed concerns on the appearance of COVID-19 cases in Islamabad lower courts judges and other staff members. People should adopt proper SOPs to avoid COVID-19, he appealed.

The local administration, Rawalpindi is continuously monitoring the rapid rise in COVID-19 cases and sealing the areas immediately. The local administration has also sealed Government Boys High School Khayaban-e-Sir Syed and Government Girls High School Dehri Hasanabad after some staffer returned positive for COVID-19. The local administration has also collected samples of students from several private and government schools here on Friday.

The local administration has also imposed a smart lockdown in different areas of Saddar, Tench Bhatta, Peshawar Road (Street No7), Mohallah Raja Sultan, and Airport Housing Society after the emergence of positive cases of COVID-19. The local administrations would impose smart lockdown in the majority of areas of Rawalpindi and Islamabad in the coming days, the sources told ‘The News’ here on Friday.