By Zahiruddin
CHITRAL: The residents of Chitral have expressed their deep apprehensions over the entrance of passengers ranging from 100 to 150 on daily basis from the down country into the district through Lowari tunnel and termed them potential carrier of the deadly virus of corona into this mountainous region.
They said that the influx of the local people from different parts of the country back to their villages is incessantly jeopardizing the region of Chitral which is so far one of the districts declared free from covid-19.
The heads of political parties and the elected representatives including the special assistant to the chief minister on minorities affairs Wazir Zada and MNA Abdul Akbar Chitrali had unanimously and unequivocally asked the government to completely ban the entrance of passenger into the district.
They had also asked for complete lock down for a period of two weeks in both the upper and lower districts of Chitral and sternly restrict the mobility of the public to a minimum possible level but all this has seemingly has fell on deaf ears.
Muzaffar Ali, a former councilor from Drosh, said that the people of Chitral were ready to withstand the sealing of district borders for many weeks as they are highly dreaded of the virus that has put the whole world in jeopardy.
He said that the sealing of borders was the only option to contain the deadly virus to reach here while the government has adopted which has too many loopholes benefitting those travelling to Chitral despite a complete ban on the inter-districts passengers’ transport.
He reiterated that the residents of Chitral including students, daily wage labourers and others had rushed back to the district in the second week of March last and their arrival has completely while the new comers are those who can afford their stay in the down districts.
A medical doctor requesting anonymity said that although the passengers entering Chitral through Lowari tunnel are made to undergo screening at Ashirait and the suspected people are sent to the corona centres but they are still potential dangers even after stay at corona.
He said that the health department’s capacity needed to be upgraded in terms of protective tools, medicines and doctors while the district of Lower Chitral had no permanent district health officer to effectively ward off the impending danger.
When the Lower Chitral DC Naveed Ahmed was contacted to know his version about the continued arrival of passengers from the down country, he said that the government has not banned the public transport but the families can move from one place to another in their private vehicles.
He said that using this concession of the government, the residents of Chitral travelled to the Lowari tunnel by jointly hiring motor cars where they assembled after leaving their vehicles while the district administration has no option other than arranging vehicles for their onward journey to Chitral city.
He said that the residents of Upper Chitral districts are sent directly to that district escorted by police while the residents of Lower Chitral are quarantined either in Drosh town or Chitral city for a period of 14 days.
He said that the district administration cannot stop the bonafide residents of Chitral from entering Chitral when they travelled in private vehicles which has been allowed by the government.
He said that presently 425 persons were being quarantined in 41 quarantine centres while the number increases on daily basis.
Mr. Ahmed said that all his appeals to the residents of Chitral living in down districts to desist from coming here for three to four weeks fell flat and they are continuing coming here.
Meanwhile, Shah Saud, the DC of Upper Chitral said that 291 persons were being quarantined in different quarantine centres while so far 2142 persons had been quarantined in the district coming from the down country.
