AJK Remains Lock-downed On 2nd Consecutive Day

The lake-district of Mirpur, Azad Jammu & Kashmir Tuesday remained lock downed on the second consecutive day despite it was the announced day of relaxation from the prohibitory orders as people across the city and rest of the district mostly adhered to the prohibitory orders to help authorities stopped the spread of coronavirus, that has gripped this ancestral district of over a million of the UK-based Kashmiri expatriates

MIRPUR [AJK]: (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 2nd Mar, 2021 ) :The lake-district of Mirpur, Azad Jammu & Kashmir Tuesday remained lock downed on the second consecutive day despite it was the announced day of relaxation from the prohibitory orders as people across the city and rest of the district mostly adhered to the prohibitory orders to help authorities stopped the spread of coronavirus, that has gripped this ancestral district of over a million of the UK-based Kashmiri expatriates.

Local district administration had imposed the phased month-long lockdown, initially for one-week across the district with effect from March 1 to avert the threat of rapid spreading of the coronavirus in its ongoing second spell.

During the hours of relaxation , the individuals were allowed to move to meet their necessities of daily life including purchase of edibles and medicines during the lockdown.

The law enforcement agencies, AJK police, continued chasing those, mostly youngsters, roaming the streets on bikes unnecessarily and reportedly booked several of such roamers.

The lockdown clamped the district to disband the daily life for the sake of overcoming the spread of the epidemic.

The streets continued giving deserted look as the shops, shopping malls and major business centers remained closed except only the milk, vegetables and fruits shops and petrol pumps.

All kinds of inter-city, inter-district and inter-provincial transport was halted to and from Mirpur Azad Jammu Kashmir during the lock-down.

All universities, schools and colleges were continued to remain closed, besides closure of offices of all private and public-sector departments except banks and financial institutions across AJK following the lock-down to avert threat of the spread of the virus that engulfed entire district leaving the fatility of over 165 persons so far since the outbreak of the pandemic since about an year ago besides affecting the the daily life paralyzed in this much affected district.

The district administration on Saturday announced to shut down all the private and state-run educational institutions throughout the district till March 31 without any break to combat the pandemic that had already threatened major parts of the world including AJK.

National and regional Newspapers could not reach their respective destinations in the lock-downed district holding the country's largest reservoir of Mangla dam in its lap, following the suspension of all kinds of vehicular traffic to and from the district during the lockdown that was planned to be imposed in phases for next four weeks as announced by the district authorities because of the continual rising spread of the pandemic with prime focus to overcome the virus completely.

All kinds of private vehicles, inter-provincial, inter-district and inter-city public transport which was suspended from Monday March 1st, the day first of the month-long prohibitory orders, would continue to be totally banned for operation for the next one week. However, government will ensure uninterrupted supply of edibles and pharmaceutical items. Journalists were exempted to move, during lockdown.

Municipal services, electricity, water supply, SCO, other cellular companies and banks and other institutions of essential services also continue working with the minimum staff. Petrol pumps also remained opened during the lock-down.

Authorities have advised the public to participate in the funeral ceremonies in minimum numbers and last burial rituals only by the close relatives of the grieved families.

The district authorities directed the duty magistrates to initiate strict action against those involved in hoarding or profiteering during and after the lock-down period in the district.