TAXILA: As part of preventive measures against coronavirus (COVID-19), the district administration in Attock and Taxila on Friday banned the entry of public in government offices, suspended Karachi bound passenger buses and ordered closures of eateries and shops at 10pm.

According to a notification, issued by the Provincial Services and General Administration Department, said the measures would come into force immediately and would remain effective till further orders.

According to the advisory, nobody except government employees would be allowed to enter the public offices.

The notification also ordered closure of shops, shopping malls, restaurants at 10pm. Grocery shops and pharmacy are exempted from this restriction.

Attock administration suspends Karachi-bound bus service; groom, policeman booked for violating coronavirus safety measures

The authorities suspended Karachi-bound passenger buses from Attock.

Besides, DPO Khalid Hamdani also banned over loading in buses and public transport and ordered that passengers should not exceed from the seated capacity.

The DPO also ordered that people visiting police station and respective police officers should be provided sanitization facility at the entry points.

The cantonment board authorities in Taxila, Wah, Kamra, Sanjwal and Attock have also suspended all kinds of public dealing and services.

Respective civic bodies have directed residents to download app on their mobiles and get online services.

In Wah Cantonment, the administration has suspended welfare transport service within the garrison city till further orders.

Besides, it also banned the entry of every type of public transport within the premises of the cantonment.

The administration also decided to install thermal gun at the entry points of the garrison and people would only be allowed to enter after passing through complete scanning.

Transit quarantine has also been established at the entry points of Wah Cantonment.

Groom, policeman booked

A groom and a policeman were booked for violating coronavirus (COVID-19) safety measures and separate FIRs were registered against them in Attock and Pindigheb police stations, officials said.

Sources said that Pindigheb police on Thursday booked a groom for organising marriage party in Dhoke Haleem.

Separately, District Police Officer Attock Khalid Hamdani suspended a policeman, registered FIR against him, besides ordering a departmental inquiry for facilitating a marriage party in Attock.

Police sources said that an ASI Arif Mehmood allowed a resident to arrange marriage ceremony after receiving a sum of Rs20,000 as bribe.

On getting information, the DPO suspended the cop, issued him show-cause notice and ordered registration of a case against him.

Police sources said that after departmental inquiry, the case would also referred to anti-corruption establishment for further legal action against him.

Published in Dawn, March 21st, 2020