Pakistan army deployed across country to aid in battle against COVID-19

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan Army has provided details of nationwide deployments of troops in order to assist civil administration against coronavirus pandemic.

According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Pakistan army troops were deployed across the country under Article 245 with focus on public safety.

In the provided details, ISPR said that the armed forces and other law enforcement authorities are monitoring the entry and exits points of the country along with performing their duties at 182 quarantine centres.

The army’s media wing said that the military was deployed in Kotli, Bhimber, Mirpur, Bagh, Rawalakot, Muzaffarabad and other areas in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

The forces are also deployed in nine districts of Balochistan province. Army troops, doctors and paramedics assisting civil administration in managing Taftan Quarantine facility, ISPR added.

A 600-bed quarantine facility is established at Taftan while another isolation facility comprising 805 camps is setup in Chaman area, the ISPR said adding that a container-based quarantine was built in Faizu Kili village of Chaman.

In Gilgit Baltistan, ISPR said that 10 quarantine camps have been established while army helicopters have also shifted medical supplies including five ventilators, masks and coronavirus testing kits from Pak-China border in Khunjerab.

ISPR further stated that the armed forces were also deployed in 26 districts of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, along with conducting strict monitoring of movement at terminals of international borders.

A quarantine facility is being established at Landi Kotal for 1500 people, the ISPR said adding that the armed forces also carried out tracking of 4000 suspected coronavirus patients.

The army is also carrying out joint patrolling at check-posts in 34 districts of Punjab province while assistance is also provided to civil administration at isolation facilities in Lahore, Faisalabad and Multan.

The armed forces are also monitoring the entry and exit points in Sindh province along with assisting provincial authorities at a quarantine facility established in Expo Centre Karachi.