Balochistan: Lawyers and civil society protest against housing COVID-19 patients in Quetta

QUETTA: The civil society and lawyers in Balochistan have staged a protest outside Quetta Press Club on Tuesday to protest against transferring the pilgrims returning from Iran from Taftan to Quetta – the capital of Balochistan.

The protesters have strongly condemned the government’s decision to quarantine COVID-19 patients in a ‘tented centre’ in Quetta, adding that, ‘the provincial government is endangering the entire city (Quetta).’

They expressed their concerns that if the virus spread in Quetta city, the government has no measures to control it. They said that the returning pilgrims are from different provinces of Pakistan and they should be sent back to their respective areas instead of quarantining them in Balochistan.

Meanwhile, Balochistan Bar Bodies also criticised the government’s decision to shift Coronavirus patients to a ‘tented village’ near Hazar Ganji Quetta. They said Balochistan already lack medical facilities and making Balochistan ‘an experiment centre’ is tantamount to deliberate destruction of the city.

The residents of Hazar Ganji also have strong reservations on government’s decision, the lawyers said in their statement.

The Balochistan Bar Bodies have announced to boycott court proceedings on 12 March 2020 to record their protest against the ‘irresponsible decision’ of government.

It is also pertinent to mention that a judge of Islamabad High Court suggested in February that Pakistanis stuck in China’s Wuhan region should be evacuated and shifted to Gwadar Balochistan.

The latest decision of the government and the statement by Islamabad High Court judge is being viewed correlated and a pre-planned conspiracy to transfer COVID-19 patients in Quetta and put the lives of people of Balochistan at risk.