Eleven District and Sessions Courts in Islamabad, have been closed after judges and staff tested positive for Covid-19.
Tahir Mirza Nabil, Islamabad Bar Association Secretary, told the press that after 12 judges and staff were diagnosed with the Covid-19, 11 of the 70 District and Sessions Courts have been sealed.
The sealed courts include seven of civil judges, a court of senior civil judge, and 3 courts of additional and sessions judges. The Association Secretary also informed the press that a few lawyers had also tested positive for the disease.
The situation has become dangerous because of violations of the standard operating procedure (SOP), even though all members were repeatedly advised to follow these rules, on Thursday a notice issued by the bar association said.
As a result of judges and lawyers testing positive, the courts will be closed for fourteen days. The association has urged lawyers to wear masks and follow SOP to limit the spread of Covid-19.
Administrative teams from the capital have also been proactively checking public spaces for SOP violations. Dozens of people out on the roads and in markets without masks, administration officials said, and they were fined Rs4,500. In addition, seven shops were sealed out of 171 inspected. Other violators were fined Rs22,000.
A dozen mosques, 13 wedding halls and 31 restaurants were also inspected, they said. Some of the restaurants were fined Rs7,000 for SOP violations.
Islamabad reported 154 more cases of Covid-19 on Thursday as well as one death. There were 4,810 tests carried out in the last 24 hours.
The capital has now reported 215 deaths and 19,454 cases of Covid-19; there are currently 1,480 active cases.
