ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Saturday informed the Supreme Court that the government has so far established 154 quarantine centres across the country and also increased surveillance at Taftan, Chaman and Torkham border crossings to contain the coronavirus pandemic in the country.
According to the response, the government set up 83 thermal scanners at various locations. Moreover, special counters have been set up to facilitate travelers and suspected coronavirus patients at all international airports, the top court was informed.
Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmad had taken a suo motu notice on the coronavirus situation in the country and directed the authorities to submit a reply on the measures taken by the state to stem the spread of infection. The top judge had sent notices to the attorney general, the health secretary and the interior secretary over the inadequate facilities at the government’s disposal to combat coronavirus on Friday.
On Friday, the CJP was also briefed over the federal government’s efforts to tackle coronavirus pandemic in the country at a meeting held at the apex court. The meeting was attended by Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel, Justice Sajjad Ali Shah and Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin.
The government’s representatives who briefed the meeting had included Special Assistant to PM on Health Dr Zafar Mirza, Chairman National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Lieutenant General Muhammad Afzal and SAPM on Social Protection and Poverty Alleviation Dr. Sania Nishtar and Attorney General Khalid Jawed. Mirza had told the top court judges said that the emergencies in all hospitals remain functional for 24-hours. “No private hospitals have been shut during the lockdown,” he had said.
The SC had also ordered to set up proper quarantine centers at Taftan, Chaman and Torkham borders for coronavirus patients. Hearing a case pertaining to the closure of OPDs and availability of facilities amid coronavirus pandemic, the apex court ordered the federal government to establish quarantine facilities at all three borders within one month.
On April 1, the same five-member bench, comprising the chief justice, Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel, Justice Sajjad Ali Shah and Justice Amin Ahmed, had also heard the matter of the release of under-trial prisoners amid the outbreak.
It then ordered over 500 prisoners — temporarily released to slow the spread of coronavirus — to be re-arrested, as it overturned the high courts’ judgements. An exception was however made in the case of prisoners accused of minor crimes.
