SAHIWAL: Around 110 quarantine centres on the principle of “One cell one Prisoner” with attached washroom facility have been established to counter the coronavirus threat in the six prisons of Sahiwal region.

The region has prisons in Okara, Vehari, Pakpattan, Khanewal and Sahiwal.

It is learnt that 32,873 people including visitors, prisoners and jail staff were screened through infra digital thermal guns. The higher-ups claim there was no suspected case of coronavirus in any of these prisons. The screening was done during the last almost one month in line with the directions passed on by IG Prisons Mirza Shahid Saleem Baig.

The instructions included proper screening of those directly or indirectly attached with prisons.

Sahiwal’s DIG Prisons Kamran Anjum said separate spaces were reserved for establishing quarantine centres and the local prison administrations were authorised to take additional officials for coronavirus screening. Besides, he said, instructions were passed for immediate purchase of Infra-Red Digital Thermometers used for screening of the inmates, jail staff and visitors.

The health authorities through the CEO (Health) office were approached and asked to provide additional training to jail dispensers and reserved staff and they (officials) were provided bath soaps and hand sanitisers for washing hands both within their respective cells and barracks.

Mr Anjum said that after completing necessary arrangements actual screening of the inmates, jail staff and visitors started on Feb 27.

Central Jail Superintendent Rana Razaullah told Dawn that the inmates were regularly briefed and motivated through lectures on the importance of hand washing.

Front desks had been set up where the visitors were properly screened before meeting any inmate, he added.

ARRESTED: The Chak Badiyain arrested on Wednesday two youth for allegedly raping a boy and shooting footage on their mobile phones in village Rampura,

Pakpattan. Station House Officer Abid Ashiq said the alleged victim boy did not inform his family about the rape incident to his family because of threat that the footage would be leaked.

Later some village youth saw the video and reported the matter to boy’s father who is a retired army man.

The police arrested the alleged rapists. The SHO said they would recover the mobile from the accused. The boy’s medical examination will be done.

QUARANTINE: Dr Muhammad Nasir Afzal, University of Sahiwal vice-chancellor, has offered to convert 80-room girls’ hostel into a quarantine to accommodate coronavirus patients.

He made the offer to the local administration.

POLICE: Up to 800 police officials will oversee law and order and enforcement of lockdown, according to DPO Muhammad Ali Zia.

These officials will be doing extra duty in the jurisdiction of 17 police stations in the district. It is said that 16 police pickets and 53 mobiles vans are operating to check the violations of Section 144.

Published in Dawn, March 26th, 2020