Karachi commissioner announces micro, smart lockdown across city

KARACHI: Commissioner Karachi Iftikhar Shallwani has announced to impose smart and micro lockdowns across all districts of the metropolis from tomorrow, amid COVID-19 resurge across the country.

According to sources, the decision was made during the meeting chaired by the Commissioner on Friday and was attended by DCs and DHOs in the city. The Commissioner said Micro lockdowns will be imposed in districts Malir and Korangi.

All deputy commissioners should consult their respective health officers on the lockdowns. While the notification in this regard will be issued by today or tomorrow, he added.

During the meeting, the commissioner said that Karachi’s districts south, east, central and west will release notifications announcing the imposition of smart lockdowns by tomorrow.

In areas where the smart lockdowns will be imposed, no more than four persons will be permitted to gather at one place and wearing masks will be made compulsory.

Only one person will be allowed to leave his/her house and will have to explain the reason for venturing out to law enforcement personnel. Masses wouldn’t be permitted to hold events or social gatherings in areas where the smart lockdowns will be imposed.

Meanwhile, the number of coronavirus cases has been rising in the country amid the second wave as the country record the highest number of cases since mid-July.

According to the National Command and Control Centre, Pakistan has reported 2,738 new cases of coronavirus while 36 more people succumbed to the deadly disease in the country. The total number of people infected with coronavirus in Pakistan has reached 368,665 while the death toll has reached 7,561.

At least 868 patients have recovered in the last 24 hours across the country and a total of 327,542 have been cured so far. The number of coronavirus cases in Islamabad is 25,719, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 43,359, Sindh 159,752, Punjab 112,893, Balochistan 16,642, Azad Kashmir 5,806 and Gilgit-Baltistan 4,494.

The highest death toll from coronavirus is in Sindh, where 2,780 people have lost their lives. 2,811 people have lost their lives in Punjab, 1,319 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 266 in Islamabad, 93 in Gilgit-Baltistan, 158 in Balochistan, and 134 in Azad Kashmir.

The second wave of coronavirus has started in Pakistan. To deal with the second wave, SOPs will have to be strictly adhered to.