Chitralis – people of nowhere
By A.M. Khan
PESHAWAR: Keeping in view the intensity of the coronavirus pandemic, universities and colleges across the country announced vacations on March 16. Subsequently, all hostels were also shut and the dwellers told to leave.
Majority of the Chitrali students and others living across the country rushed back to their hometown and after undergoing troubles on the way reached Chitral some of them ended up in government buildings declared as quarantine centres by the administration.
But there are still students, workers and professionals in different cities who could not return to Chitral due to different reasons and are now facing a sort of crisis.
Under pressure from the local administrations, wardens have to close the rooms of hostels leaving the remaining boarders with no place to reside. As all markets, hotels and eateries are closed, they are without shelters and food.
Under pressure from the local administrations, wardens have to close the rooms of hostels leaving the remaining boarders with no place to reside. As all markets, hotels and eateries are closed, they are without shelters and food.
The government has banned inter-city public transport and the district administration of Chitral has gone on a lockdown and closed the road at Lowari tunnel. This has added to the miseries of the Chitralis, especially students and daily wage workers in Peshawar, Islamabad and other cities.
Those who arrived in Chitral were quarantined for two weeks in dozens of hostels of colleges in both Lower and Upper Chitral. Not only they expressed concerns about the quality of food and hygiene in the rooms and outside but were also perturbed over possibility of contracting the coronavirus from any infected person living among them or falling sick due to cold weather and lack of proper food.
Zulfiqar Ahmad, who lives in a hostel in Peshawar, told ChitralToday that he was already afraid of being infected by the virus and moved to Chitral.
“I have been quarantined with dozens of other people in a room in Chitral. This has exposed me to fear and infection. At least students should be allowed to go home where they could quarantine themselves,” he added.
A professional living in Peshawar on a condition to anonymity told ChitralToday that it had become a very difficult situation for them. The warden of professionals’ hostel is telling us not to go out because he would be find and we have to go out for bringing bread and other things to eat.
“Neither I could go home now nor could stay in Peshawar. Simply, I am nowhere now. When I go home I have to stay at the unhygienic quarantine centre mixed with people in Chitral and when I stay here will be among an infected populace,” he added.
Another Chitrali currently serving as a visiting faculty in a university said the situation for students and professionals from Chitral had become traumatic even if they stay in the cities or go back to Chitral. In either case there are chances of contracting the virus, he added.
“The district administration of Chitral should make it very clear to people on duty that they should quarantine those who come from most affected areas of Pakistan and those who have mild symptoms,” he added.
Keeping every Chitrali in quarantine will put a heavy burden on the administration besides risking the health of healthy people.
The district administration should also keep the Lowari tunnel open only for Chitralis. The Chitralis should be allowed entry after screening and those with the symptoms of Covid-19 should be quarantined. Generally, the travellers should also be given guidance that should keep them on self-quarantine after reaching home at least for two weeks.