After long-drawn protests by the locals, Pakistan Army is now moving COVID 19 positive patients from Punjab province to Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Gilgit Baltistan which happen to be two of the most marginalized areas under Pakistan.
According to sources in PoK, special quarantine centers have been set up in Mirpur and other major cities in the occupied regions to identify and make sure Covid 19 patients are cleared from the area in which they’re in. This is also so no patient is near the Army facilities and Army family housing there.
There have also been reports of a large number of patients being moved into locked transport carriers to Mirpur city and other parts of PoK and Gilgit Baltistan.
The local residents have carried out protests against setting up quarantine centers for Covid-19 patients from Pakistan as the region already lacks infrastructure and trained medical staff.
Coronavirus’ fear has gripped the entire nation and Kashmiris more than anyone are the most vulnerable right now. Pakistan Army top management is not concerned about any of that as PoK and Gilgit has very little priority right now to them.
Residents of Muzaffarabad are incredibly terrified that the pandemic will soon hit their area and things are of more concern as the health care arrangement there is not of the optimal level at all.
The residents maintain that Pakistan Army only cares about Punjab and nothing else. One of the residents there said, “We have been seeing the movement of COVID19 patients here for a very long time and we are scared that it’ll spread here and this betrayal of Pakistan army to us is very hurtful”.
The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Pakistan is more than 1000 and more than 400 cases were registered in Singh, the worst-hit region in Pakistan.
