Coronavirus, designated 2019, nCoV, which is the burning issue in Pakistan after its nature was identified in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. Recently, Countries like Australian, Cambodia, Canada, France, Germany and many more have confirmed new cases of Coronavirus. China has officially confirmed at least 4500 people infected and 106 people have died across the country, most of them in and around Wuhan.
As a resident of Gilgit-Baltistan, I consider it essential to pen my views on the decision of the Provincial Government of Gilgit-Baltistan related to the reopening of Pakistan-China border crossing point in a drastic situation when a Coronavirus has severely surrounded the entire China. Particularly, yesterday, patients, residents of Sinkiang, were diagnosed as Victim of Coronavirus. The Sinkiang is bordered with Gilgit-Baltistan. Most importantly, this virus transfers from one person to another person when an infected person coughs, sneezes and touches. Once the flow of traveler executes then it is hard to stop the virus. It is an alarming situation for the inhabitants of Gilgit-Baltistan because the people who will be traveling in and out the border will carry the virus unknowingly.
It is therefore requested to the concerned authorities of the Provincial Government to rethink over the reopening of the route or do some preventive measures to cope the virus if it’s necessary to reopen, before anything bad happens.
Sibtain Ali
Islamabad
