Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on Sunday announced that a lockdown will be imposed throughout the province starting midnight for the next 15 days in order to control the spread of coronavirus.
Sindh has the largest number of coronavirus cases in the country, with 333 confirmed. Pakistan’s tally is currently 777 with five deaths.
Following the CM’s message, police officers in different areas of Karachi started patrolling the streets to announce the government’s decision and to urge citizens to stay home from today (Monday).
In a video message, the provincial chief minister said that he had met politicians from various political parties during which they discussed the coronavirus and agreed upon certain steps that needed to be taken.
He said that following discussions with all stakeholders, it was decided that the only way to control the virus was to curtail its spread.
“There is only one way to curtail its spread, as this virus transfers from one person to another very fast, so we need to minimise people’s interaction,” he said.
The chief minister said that the spread of the virus should be curtailed and at the same time, health facilities be improved.
“We should not arrive at a situation where we have more patients and our health facilities are not sufficient,” he cautioned.
“The purpose of the lockdown is that all offices and places for gatherings […] will be closed.”
He said that those who are not required to step out in public will not be allowed to do so.
“If someone wants to step out, they should have a valid reason.”
The provincial chief minister said that they will try to make sure food is supplied in shops, adding that they were trying to ensure that if someone wanted to step out to buy groceries, they would able to do so once in a two-day period.
Shah said that the way to monitor this was that anyone who steps out will carry their Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC) card with them.
“Once that CNIC is entered into the law enforcement system, we have the IT facilities to find out in the database if they are going out more than twice.”
The chief minister said that if someone has an emergency, such as taking a patient to a hospital, they would be allowed to do so. He added that two people could go together along with a driver.
“Our recommendation is that more than two people don’t sit in a car,” he said.
The chief minister said that ATMs would remain open. He said that banks should operate with only their essential staff.
Additionally, Shah said he spoke to K-Electric, Sui Southern Gas Company, Hyderabad Electric Supply Company, Sukkur Electric Power Company and the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board to ensure that there was no load shedding.
“Those having electricity bills below Rs 4,000 are not required to pay their bill this month. It will be added to their bills over the subsequent months.” For Sui Southern Gas Company, the threshold was set at Rs 2,000.
The chief minister appealed to landlords to suspend rent for a month.
He said that a new Facebook and Twitter page would be set up to share all the details about who would be allowed to step out, who won’t be, and who would be allowed to do so in certain situations.
“These notifications will be updated on a daily basis as we find out problems,” he said. Additionally, a team has been formed headed by the chief secretary that will be available 24 hours. He urged the people of Sindh to support the government’s decision.
Meanwhile, the Sindh government has established corona emergency fund to provide medical treatment to corona virus patients, conduct tests, improve health facilities and financially assist the daily wagers.
Murad Ali Shah, in a special video message, urged the philanthropists to donate in Sindh government’s fund entitled ‘Government of Sindh Corona Emergency Fund’ Account No. 03015594456100 of Sindh Bank. “Your contribution will help the government meet the growing expenditures of the coronavirus patients.”
The fund will be operated by a five-member committee consisting of Chief Secretary Mumtaz Shah, Finance Secretary Hassan Naqvi (govt members), Faisal Edhi, Mushtaq Chhapra of Patient Aid and Prof Dr Abdul Bari.
This committee will have the authority to make transparent use of the fund and ensure its third party audit.
The chief minister has assured the people that every penny of their donations would be used for coronavirus patients, suspects and related welfare work.
On the other hand, following the footsteps of the Sindh government, the Gilgit-Baltistan government has also imposed lockdown in the province from midnight in wake of the spread of coronavirus pandemic.
Addressing a press conference in Chitral on Sunday, Gilgit-Baltistan Law Minister Aurangzeb Khan said that the province will be locked down from midnight for an indefinite period.
He said that this would be called “home lockdown” and police and Rangers would be patrolling day and night.
