LAHORE: The Punjab government imposed ‘smart lockdown’ and sealed 13 localities of the walled city here following the reports that these areas have become hotspot for the coronavirus due to fast spread of the infection. Interestingly, these localities have roads and streets leading to the Minar-i-Pakistan lawns (now the Greater Iqbal Park) where the opposition alliance — the Pakitan Democratic Movement (PDM) — public meeting was scheduled for Dec 13.

The police had been strictly directed to seal these localities for two weeks.

“There has been a constant increase in the positivity percentage of Covid-19 for the last two weeks which poses a serious and imminent threat to the public health. Hence, it’s mandatory to take all possible measures for prevention and control of this disease”, reads a notification issued by the primary and secondary healthcare department Punjab Secretary retired Capt Mohammad Usman here on Saturday.

It added that the government had imposed a smart lockdown in the localities of Lahore after seeking permission from Chief Minister Usman Buzdar.

The secretary issued an order to the authorities concerned to take immediate measures to seal the 13 localities of Lahore’s walled city through “controlled entry and exit till Dec 25”.

These are located near PDM meeting venue

The notification reads that there shall be a complete ban on the movement of people to and from the localities in-question by public and private transport except for limited movement of one person per vehicle to and from the exempted facilities.

“There shall also be a complete ban on gatherings of all kinds for social, religious or any other purpose at any place, public and private throughout these areas”, said the health secretary.

The areas sealed by the police and the district administration were located in Rang Mehal, Sheran Wala Gate, Mochi Gate, Bhatti Gate, Chohan Road of Islamia Park, Ravi Road, Badami Bagh, Data Nargar and Iqbal Park.

The notification says all markets, shopping malls, restaurants, offices (public and private) shall remain closed in these areas. Only the movement of government officials, duly notified by the respective departments, shall be allowed.

Similarly, the personnel related to health services, law enforcement agencies and persons in need of medical care with two attendants can move in the areas where smart lockdown has been imposed, reads the notification.

Meanwhile, the official figures unveiled that the virus has claimed the lives of 55 more persons in Punjab during the last two days, with a majority of the deaths occurring in Lahore.

Of these, 19 patients died on Friday, while 36 others on Saturday, taking the death toll to 3,320 across the province so far.

In Lahore, the total number of deaths caused by the virus reached 1,320, according to the official figures released by the Punjab government on Saturday.

The statistics showed that a total of 1,276 cases were reported from all over the province during the last two days. Of these, 647 were reported on Friday, while 629 on Saturday. The total number of positive cases has reached 126,526 in Punjab.

Lahore also has 61,747 confirmed cases of the coronavirus so far, followed by Rawalpindi’s 11,836 and Multan’s 8,294.

Published in Dawn, December 13th, 2020