Daily Times

Approximately 485 Pakistan nationals trapped in Afghanistan due to Covid-19, who had been brought back to the country via Torkham border last Saturday, were allowed to go home without quarantine in Landi Kotal.

It is worth mentioning here that as per Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), the Pak-Afghan sharing border Torkham is resumed for pedestrians crossing once a week (Saturday).

According to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa health department reports issued on 06 June, 2020, so far 422 corona positive cases have been detected in Pakistani citizens, brought back to their country from Afghanistan via Torkham border.

Last day almost 485 Pakistani citizens including women and children were let to cross in their country through Torkham border and were shifted to quarantined centers in Landi Kotal, however later on all the persons were relieved on the order of local administration with advice to follow SOP and carry out isolation at their homes.

It is important to know that previously all the stranded Pakistani nationals had been quarantined for a week and then after their laboratory test clearance, they were allowed to go to their homes, aimed to curtail spread of coronavirus from across the border.

When the Deputy Commissioner, Khyber Mehmood Aslam Wazir was contacted on the matter he said that the quarantine period for the Pakistan citizens stuck in Afghanistan had been put to an end.

Samples for lab tests of the stranded people would be collected and then they would be permitted to move to their respective areas and would be suggested to quarantine in their respective districts, DC said.

Health experts and general masses expressed their concern over the fluctuated policy adopted by the government to combat the deadly corona disease.

They were on the view that abrupt change in the policy would create health hazard in the area and would enhance menace of spread of the Covid-19.

The close interaction of the possible Covid-19 patients from across the border would certainly risking live of the people around them, they added.