RAWALPINDI: Federal and provincial governments on Thursday banned public dealing in civic bodies, including cantonment boards, military estate offices, Military Lands and Cantonments Department, Rawalpindi Municipal Corporation and Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA).

According to the government directive: “In the wake of coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, public dealing is banned till further orders.”

Residents from cantonments would contact relevant offices in case of any emergency through the mobile app ‘Cantonment Board Care’, local numbers of civic bodies or through email.

In the city areas that fall under the administrative control of the Punjab government, the Punjab Services and General Administration Department issued guidelines to all commissioners and deputy commissioners to impose a ban on public dealing in government offices till further orders.

The government has directed that telephone and mobile numbers of administrative officials be provided so people could contact them.

The residents have been asked to contact officials using phones and not to visit any civic body or district administration offices.

This step has been taken as a precautionary measure to protect the health of both government officials and citizens.

Published in Dawn, March 20th, 2020