22 city, cantonment localities sealed until June 30.

Byline: Aamir Yasin and Mohammad Asghar

RAWALPINDI -- A total of 22 localities in the city and cantonment areas were sealed early on Thursday by the Punjab government due to the high number of Covid-19 cases reported there. They will remain sealed until June 30.

Commissioner retired Capt Mohammad Mehmood told Dawn that 30,978 families were restricted to 21,420 houses in these localities when the lockdown went into force early on Thursday.

He said the government has decided to lockdown areas that are emerging as coronavirus hotspots in light of directions to this effect from the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC). The Punjab Home Department issued a notification in this regard late Wednesday night, after which people were stopped from entering the sealed areas. The lockdown will remain in place until 9pm on June 30.

The district administration identified hotspots using patient data from government and private hospitals and laboratories.

The areas locked down in the city are Dhoke Kala Khan, Qayyumabad, Iqbal Town, Dhoke Paracha, Dhoke Kashmirian, Kuri Road, Aliabad, Dhoke Ali Akbar, Sadiqabad, Magistrate Colony, Afandi Colony, Satellite Town Block A and C, Muslim Town and Khurram Colony, while Dheri Hasanabad, Talli Mohri, Gousia Chowk, Jhawara, Tench Bhatta, People Colony and Allama Iqbal Colony are sealed in the cantonment.

Commissioner says 30,978 families restricted to 21,420 houses in these localities

Mr Mehmood said the government has directed the administration to ensure that essential commodities are available and that citizens are able to access medical facilities during the lockdown.

Joint check posts manned by police and Rangers have been set up and mohallah committees activated to facilitate residents, he added.

'Grocery stores, milk shops, pharmacies, fruit and vegetables vendors and tandoors are allowed to open their shops and delivered food item at home,' he said. Vendors and shopkeepers in these businesses have been issued permission letters to visit fruit, vegetable and...