Daily Times

Pakistan on Friday temporarily opened Taftan border with Iran to allow around 250-300 Pakistanis stuck in the neighbouring country.

“At Taftan-Zahdan border. Reviewed the situation and now we have a plan! Over next few days we will gradually allow Pakistani Zaireens returning from Iran in batches after full health screening. Point of entry is being strengthened. Thanks to all for the hard work!” Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr Zafar Mirza tweeted.

Taftan Assistant Commissioner Najibullah Qambrani confirmed that the Taftan border has been temporarily opened to allow for one-way traffic into the country. Around 250-300 Pakistanis stuck in Iran are being allowed to return, he said, adding that those returning include pilgrims among other Pakistani citizens. He said the Pakistani citizens were stuck in Iran and their visas were expiring. “Those entering Pakistan from Iran are being screened. The pilgrims will definitely be kept under quarantine. They will be allowed to leave after proper screening has been done,” he said.

Over 300 pilgrims, among them women, have reached Taftan after being permitted to enter from the Pakistan-Iran border, spokesperson for Balochistan government said on Friday.

Liaquat Shahwani said that all those who are arriving in Pakistan from Iran will be quarantined for 10 days, saying that they will be allowed to leave only after the completion of the quarantine period. The Pakistani pilgrims were forced to leave the Iranian territory due to which they were stranded in the area between the Pakistan-Iran border, the spokesperson said. Earlier this week, Pakistan had temporarily closed all the five entry points – Taftan, Gwadar, Turbat, Panjgur and Washuk – at border with Iran as a precautionary measure to contain the spread of coronavirus.

Sindh government spokesperson Murtaza Wahab said there has been no new case of coronavirus in the province, adding that the nation is ready to deal with the epidemic.

Addressing a press conference at Sindh Assembly, Wahab said there has been no increase in the number of coronavirus patients, adding that the family of patient admitted in Karachi is safe and has been sent home.

Wahab said some 1,419 people went to Iran from Sindh from January till date, out of which 952 have returned and of those 650 have been traced. “Most of the people have been tested and their results are negative,” he noted, adding that healthy people do not need to wear face masks. He appealed to everyone to not spread fear and panic. “Only those who are affected by coronavirus should wear masks but others should not,” he said.

On closure of the educational institutes, he said all schools will reopen on Monday, adding that the decision to shut them down had been taken as a preventive measure. “Positive progress is expected in 36 hours,” he said. “The federal government and all the provinces are together. We are ready to deal with this challenge. This is the time to work together. We are all together to deal with this issue,” he added.

On Wednesday, Pakistan recorded its first two cases of coronavirus, with one each being in Karachi and Islamabad. The patients had returned recently from Iran.

On Thursday, Dr Mirza said the two patients were stable and their condition was improving. “Contacts traced until now and tested are all negative,” he said, and assured that effective measures were being taken to deal with novel coronavirus in Pakistan.

On Friday morning, Mirza shared pictures from his visit to the Taftan-Zahdan border. He said he had met with the Balochistan chief minister and reviewed preparation to effectively address coronavirus. “A lot is being done in Balochistan – much more needs to be done,” he said.

Amid the novel coronavirus scare, the flight attendants of all airlines arriving from aboard have to go through the screening process in the country. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has enforced strict safety measures at all airports in the country following the emergence of two confirmed coronavirus cases in Pakistan. The CAA has also made submission of health declaration form mandatory for flight attendants and all cabin crew of private/national airlines. The Sindh government Friday decided to quarantine suspected and diagnosed cases of coronavirus in a health facility in Gadap Town as part of efforts to control the spread of the virus in the port city.

Secretary Health Zahid Ali Abbasi and director health visited the 50-bed hospital on the fringes of Karachi and inspected the measures taken to isolate diagnosed and suspected cases. Patients will be shifted to the Gadap medical facility from Monday and an intensive care unit (ICU) has also been established in the hospital under the supervision of the metropolis’ health director.