BAHAWALPUR - Partial lockdown in Bahawalpur continued for the fourth day on Wednesday in the wake of coronavirus outbreak.
All business centres, shopping malls, markets, bazaars remained closed while shops of food items and medical stores were open. There was thin traffic on roads, while law enforcement agencies, including police, Rangers and the Pakistan Army, seen alert performing their duties. Section 144 was enforced throughout the city, which also prohibited pillion riding. However, dozens of people were arrested over violation of ban on pillion riding.
In view of the influx of visitors, two quarantine centers have been set up in Bahawalpur for which a 400-bed civil hospital has been evacuated and six hostels of Islamia University have been allotted for the quarantine centre. However, none of the visitors was brought to Bahawalpur. In Bahawalpur division, no person has been tested positive for coronavirus as yet. To ensure continuous supply of food items throughout Bahawalpur division, shops of daily use items have been kept open. Action had been taken against people hoarding face masks and hand sanitizers. On the directive of Punjab government all educational institutions have been closed across Punjab till May 31. Majority of the private educational institutions of the city along with Islamia University have started online study facility to minimise waste of students’ time and it is benefiting hundreds of students.
