SUKKUR: Fear and panic gripped the localities around Sukkur’s quarantine centre, established in Labour Colony, on Saturday when rumours were spread that confirmed and suspected coronavirus patients had come out of the centre to protest against inadequate health and hygiene facilities.

The situation persisted for a few hours before a minister and officials of the local administration rushed to the centre and clarified the situation.

Sindh Minister for Transport Syed Awais Shah and local officials told people and local reporters that in fact volunteers taking care of the quarantine centre inmates — the pilgrims brought in from Taftan (Balochistan) upon their recent return from Iran — were protesting against inadequate health and hygiene facilities at the centre.

They said a delegation of Shia Ulema Council (SAU) sought permission from the local administration to visit the centre but was not allowed to move into it due to obvious reasons.

They further stated that the delegation later held talks with the administration and the matter was amicably settled.

Minister Shah said that in the meantime rumours were spread that inmates of the centre, some of them virus patients, had come out of the centre to join in the volunteers’ protest. This, he said, caused considerable chaos and panic in the localities around the centre. He also appealed to the media to help neutralise such rumours in order to arrest a chaotic situation in time.

The Shia community in the area was also resentful over denial of entry permission to the SAU delegation but angry youths who had joined the volunteers in the protest withdrew when they were made to understand why they were not being allowed into the danger zone.

The minister said that in the meantime, the administration held talks with Shia ulema and sorted out the matter.

He explained that the protest was not held by quarantine centre inmates but the volunteers taking care of them.

He said there were some problems highlighted by the volunteers regarding facilities at the centre. The issues were being resolved to their satisfaction, he added. He said he was available round-the-clock to look into any issue.

Sukkur Mayor Arsalan Islam Shaikh accompanying the minister said arrangements for cleanliness at the centre had been improved and held out the assurance that he himself would supervise such activities.

He said the ulema had requesting sending of more volunteers to look after the inmates which was under consideration of the provincial government.

Published in Dawn, March 22nd, 2020