Admin unable to enforce lockdown outside towns

CHITRAL: While the district administration tried its best to implement the lockdown to check the spread of coronavirus, Chitralis seemed mostly oblivious of the threat and continued arriving here from different parts of the country and opened shops in areas around the town.

Drosh bazaar on Sunday.–Jahan Zeb

In the Chitral town, traffic almost remained off the road and bazaars were closed while in its suburb life remained normal and shops were open.

In Drosh, main bazaars were closed and thin traffic was seen on the main road to Chitral.

The lockdown, which the administration wanted to implement strictly, remained partial on the second day too. As a result, people planning to come to Chitral from down districts faced uncertainty.

The administration and police had warned that no public transport would be allowed entry through the Lowari tunnel but dozens of vehicles reached Chitral from down districts on Sunday noon.

The police continued its drive to stop traffic outside the town area and impounded scores of vehicles. In Ayun, the police also impounded over a dozen vehicles.

A bazaar in Chitral town.–Muhkam Uddin Ayuni

The district administration continued efforts to make the citizens realize the gravity of the coronavirus threat and remain indoors but most of the people did no care for it.

Meanwhile, people in Garam Chashma and most parts of Upper Chitral celebrated Nauroz in their homes and did not arrange any gatherings in Jamat Khanas as used to be done in the past. Mostly women were seen visiting houses and congratulating the arrival of the new year.

A resident told ChitralToday that people arriving from Karachi, Islamabad and Peshawar etc., were not taking precautionary measures and started visiting houses of their relatives and others to meet them which needed to be discouraged.—Muhkam Uddin Ayuni