The Sindh government on Tuesday announced to launch a mobile service to provide ration to the needy people affected by the coronavirus pandemic. As per details, the Sindh Govt will generate a number for this cause which would be sent to everyone via SMS. The needy people can text the number for ration.
The Chief Minister has also formed a three-member committee for the distribution of ration to the needy people. The committee will look after the distribution of ration and cash to the daily wagers and needy people.
The committee will comprise Imtiaz Sheikh, Waqar Mehdi and CM Murad’s co-ordinator Haris Gazdar. The Chief Minister also urged philanthropists to come forward in these difficult times and help in the cause.
He again appealed the nation to stay at home and follow guidelines given to them in order to stop the spread of COVID-19.
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on Monday received “anonymous” donation of Rs1 million for the Sindh Coronavirus Emergency Fund.
“Today I received this anonymous donation made to “Sindh Coronavirus Emergency Fund”, along with a letter from the donor,” he wrote in a Twitter post, sharing the letter and cheque.
He said: “Such acts of kindness strengthen our resolve to continue fighting this challenge, & reassure us that humanity stands tall during such extraordinary times!” Earlier, on March 17, the Sindh Govt had set up a “Coro Virus Relief Fund” to fight the pandemic.
The provincial government’s spokesperson Murtaza Wahab in a tweet had said the Sindh chief minister, ministers, advisors, special assistants and all PPP MPAs will contribute their one-month salary to the fund.
Meanwhile, in a step to obtain better results from the ongoing province-wide lockdown to deal with novel coronavirus, Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Syed Murad Ali Shah on Tuesday directed the police chief to take stern action against the violators.
Presiding over a high-level meeting in Karachi, CM Murad Ali Shah has directed Inspector General of Police Sindh Mushtaq Ahmed Mehar to take strict action against the people who are on the streets without any emergency.
He directed the police chief to ensure complete ban on inter-city transport service and closure of shopping centres.
Separately, Murad Ali Shah on Tuesday decided to send 640 pilgrims quarantined at the Sukkur isolation centre upon their return from Iran via Taftan to their homes after they tested negative for COVID-19.
A spokesperson for the chief minister said the pilgrims, hailing from Karachi, Sukkur, Matiari, Hyderabad and other cities, are being sent to their homes after their tests came out negative.
He said they will stay at their homes for a few days.
The spokesperson said the pilgrims took COVID-19 tests for two times and were cleared of the virus.
On the other hand, Sindh Information Minister Nasir Hussain Shah on Tuesday announced an “effective lockdown” across the city whereby all shops, except for medical stores, will remain closed from 8:00pm to 8:00am.
During this time period, all shops, including grocers and kiryana stores, will remain closed, Shah added. He, however, clarified that hospitals were to continue operating on a 24-hour basis. The provincial minister said Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah had directed the banking industry to keep their key branches open only.
