New restrictions in Sindh

The Sindh government has announced new restrictions in the province in view of the increase in coronavirus cases. These restrictions will be implemented from Monday. According to the decision of the Sindh government, shopping malls, markets will be open from 6 am to 6 pm will remain open, however, wedding halls and other events will be banned.

The government has also decided to shut down dargahs and Friday and Sunday closed for social activities. Restaurants will be closed from Monday, both indoor and outdoor, only takeaways will be allowed. The government has also decided to close educational institutions.

Only 50 percent of staff in public and private sectors will be present while it has also been recommended to close the sims of those who do not get vaccinated within a week.

Owners have reacted strongly to the Sindh government’s decision to close traders and wedding halls due to reduced business hours, however, indicators have protested. Chairman All Karachi Traders Union Atiq said that the precautionary measures taken by coronavirus are unhelpful and more deadly than the virus epidemic.

Rana Raees, president of the Marriage Hall Association, said that all the marriage halls are abiding by SOPs. Where there is a violation, the administration is also imposing fines. The meeting has been convened and a plan of action will be worked out against these restrictions.

In the last 24 hours, 1,425 cases of the virus were reported in the country, after which Pakistan crossed the level of one million cases of coronavirus and the total number of cases reported so far at the national level has reached 1,034 while coronavirus ranks first in the country with 362,182 cases and 5,785 deaths, while the rate of delta virus cases in Karachi has reached 100%.

In a meeting of the Provincial Task Force chaired by Chief Minister Sindh yesterday, Health Secretary Dr. Kazim Jatoi said that the rate of positive cases of corona in the entire province has reached 10.3 percent. On average, 29% of the cases were reported while Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said that the situation in Corona in the province was very worrying.

The Sindh government had lifted the ban a few weeks ago and restored normalcy in the province, but the Sindh Health Department has repeatedly warned that the fourth wave of corona could erupt in Sindh, especially with regard to the delta virus. However, the government preferred to lift the ban, and now sanctions are being imposed to increase the number of cases again.

Nothing can be given priority over human lives but it is also a fact that business life has been ruined due to the ongoing blockades in Sindh for the last one and a half years and traders and people have become economically impoverished. Traders have suggested to the government that business hours should not be reduced as it would increase the rush in the markets, which is a fact.

At this time, there is a need for vaccination that can protect human lives from contagious epidemics and to oblige citizens to implement SOPs.