PM Imran praises his team for clarity on COVID-19 response

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has admired his team for being among the first to impose smart lockdowns to limit the spread of COVID-19 across the country.

On a social media website Twitter, the prime minister shared an article titled “Smart Lockdowns” are the future in Europe, stating that his team was amongst the first to enforce the measure. 

PM Khan wrote, “My team was amongst the first to enforce smart lockdowns. I am proud of it for helping me continue to navigate our country through the Covid19 crisis. InshaAllah, from now onwards if we follow SOPs we will see off the worst of this crisis.”

My team was amongst the first to enforce smart lockdowns. I am proud of it for helping me continue to navigate our country through the Covid19 crisis. InshaAllah, from now onwards if we follow SOPs we will see off the worst of this crisis.https://t.co/xC3kBWdxo3

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) June 28, 2020

Two weeks ago,  Pakistan imposed a smart lockdown when COVID-19 cases in the country almost surged to the 150,000-mark.

The officials and health experts issued a list of 20 cities identified as COVID-19 hotspots across the country where smart lockdowns were imposed.

According to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) list, parts of Islamabad, Peshawar and Lahore had been sealed to stem the spread of the virus. Moreover, areas identified in Swat which have been sealed include Bahrain, Matta, Babuzai, Kabal, Barikot, Khariri, Gwalerai and Odigram.

In Peshawar, the four areas that have identified as COVID-19 hotspots were sealed. Lockdown had been imposed in Ahsrafia Colony, Channa Road, Danishabad and Hayatabad in Phase 1/Sector E-1of the province.

Police had been deployed in the areas with markets except for grocery stores and medical stores. In Sindh’s Ghotki, four areas had been sealed and section 188 imposed after it was identified as COVID-19 hotspot.

A statement by the NCOC had said, “A total of 20 cities across Pakistan have been identified as having likely increase in ratio/speed of infection which needs restrictive measures for containment.”

In Islamabad, authorities had already sealed G-9/2 and G-9/3 for having over 300 cases. While I-8, I-10, Ghauri Town, Bharakhau, G6 and G7 were being monitored, the NCOC had said.

The other cities identified by the NCOC are Karachi, Lahore, Quetta, Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Faisalabad, Multan, Gujranwala, Swat, Hyderabad, Sukkar, Sialkot, Gujarat, Ghotki, Larkana, Khairpur, DG Khan, Malakand and Mardan.