Smart lockdown begins under new SOPs across Sindh

KARACHI: Smart lockdown has been implemented in Sindh including the provincial capital from today under the new government order.

According to details, the Sindh government has issued a new order for coronavirus SOPs. From today until 28th February, new guidelines and SOPs will come into force under which the use of masks in government and private offices and public places has been made mandatory.

In government and private offices, 50 percent of the staff has been ordered to work at home and 50 percent in the offices. The Sindh Home Department has directed that smart lockdown will be implemented in the areas of coronavirus cases on the instructions of the concerned Deputy Commissioner.

Markets, shopping malls, wedding halls, and other commercial places will be open six days a week from 6 am to 10 pm, however, hospitals, medical stores, dairy shops, bakeries, and petrol pumps will be exempted from the scheduled working hours.

Amusement parks will be closed till 6 pm as per the decision of the Sindh Home Department. It has been decided to maintain the ban on indoor celebrations in wedding halls. Wedding ceremonies will have to end in open spaces by 10 p.m.

Only 300 people can be invited to any wedding. In addition to indoor meals at weddings, buffets have also been banned. Restaurants, outdoor, delivery, and takeaway services will be available at any time. It may be recalled that earlier smart lockdown was implemented in West District of Karachi, notification was also issued to implement micro smart lockdown in seven USC areas of two sub-divisions.

As per the notification, the areas in which micro-smart lockdown has been implemented include UC-10 Gabol Colony of Orangi sub-division, UC-11 Datangar, UC-12 Mujahidabad, UC-2 Haryana colony of sub-division Mominabad.