CM: People will not be allowed to venture out of their homes unnecessarily; Karachi police starts announcing lockdown measures
Staff Reporter
Karachi
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah announced on Sunday that the province is set to undergo a 15-day lock-down after Sunday-Monday midnight. “After 12 midnight, Sindh will undergo a lock-down,” he said. “People will not be allowed to venture out of their homes unnecessarily.”
The chief minister said if citizens needed to go to the hospital, only three persons would be allowed to travel in a car. In an earlier statement issued after a meeting, the chief minister had said the government was taking this important decision in the interest of people and hoped that the public would support the government.
The provincial authorities also sought help from the army to ensure compliance of its orders after the chief minister’s appeal on Friday to the masses to stay indoors was ignored.
“We are about to take major and difficult decisions for the safety of people,” Shah said, adding that the government was concerned about the welfare of the masses.
“There’s no option but to impose lock-down in the province and I will announce this later today,” he said and urged the masses to stay home. No one would be allowed to hit the road without any strong reason.
“A supervisory team is being constituted, to be headed by a Grade-20 officer,” said the chief minister. “Other departments can contact the officials in case of any difficulty in service delivery.”
The chief minister said only 2500 people have been tested so far in the province. “We are increasing the capacity and making it available at all the divisional headquarters in the province.”
The government was aware of the consequences of these strict measures and was taking necessary steps in this regard, he said. Control rooms would be established at the offices of DG Rangers Sindh and IG Police. The CM also directed the authorities concerned to ensure uninterrupted supply of utilities, TV cable, mobile services, telephone, and electricity.
Banks would remain open and ATM services would not be shut down, he added. The Sindh government has requested the federal government for the deployment of military personnel in the province.
“In the wake of the prevailing situation of the increasing number of Covid-19 cases in the province, the Province of Sindh requires the services of Armed Forces in aid of civil power under Article 245 of Constitution read with Section 131 (a) of Criminal Procedure Code,” the letter read.
“The details of the requirement will be communicated in due course after assessment in coordination with the quarters concerned. “It is, therefore, requested to kindly accord approval for deployment of armed forces in aid to Civil Power in the Province of Sindh.”
Meanwhile, Shah issued new directives for the utility companies in order to provide relief to the masses.
The Quetta Electric Supply Company, Sukkur Electric Power Company, and the K-Electric have been asked to not collect the bill for the ongoing month from consumers whose monthly bill was less than Rs5,000 and charge the amount in installments over the next 10 months.
The same instruction is for Sui Southern Gas Company as well. Consumers whose monthly bill was up to Rs2,000 should be allowed to pay the amount in 10 installments. The chief minister also said electricity and gas connections would not be disconnected in the next two months. Owners of homes and shops were also asked to show flexibility in rent collection.
The CM said he would request the federal government to ensure the continuous supply of gas and fuel to power producers and gas distribution companies.
The chief minister made the decision after hosting an online meeting over the COVID-19 situation attended by civil and Law Enforcement Agency (LEAs) leadership, and another meeting with the stakeholders including political leaders from Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Jamaat-e-Islami.
The chief minister also appealed to the citizens to help the government tackle the ongoing crisis and to donate to the Sindh Corona Emergency Fund established in Sindh Bank under the A/C No. 03015594456100.
Murad also directed the power and water authorities to ensure uninterrupted supply of electricity and water. The CM urged HESCO, SEPCO, WASA, KWSB, SSGC and various other essential institutions to continue their services without hindrance.
Sindh Minister for Information, Local Government, Housing & Town Planning, Religious Affairs, Forest & Wildlife Syed Nasir Hussain Shah has said that this tough decision was taken after reviewing the complete situation evolving after the spread of caronavirus.
In his statement Syed Nasir Hussain said that all the cabinet members including ministers, advisers, special coordinators to Sindh Chief Minister, Chief Secretary Sindh, Director General Rangers, Siindh, Brigadier Waseem of Core V, inspector General Police, Sindh, Additional Inspector General, concerned officers of provincial disaster management and all other relevant officers were present during the meeting.
Syed Nasir Hussain Shah said that the availability of basic utilities including water, electricity and gas would be ensured. The seminaries and other worship places would be closed, he added. The Minister said that all the educational institutes, shopping malls, public parks and government offices had already been closed in the province.
