From Zeeshan Mirza
KARACHI: The city’s deputy commissioner on Saturday ordered the closure of 11 areas of the metropolis where coronavirus patients had been identified as Sindh’s infected tally continues to surge.
Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah said that the province is presenting a dismal picture in terms of new coronavirus cases and death toll despite stringent lockdown measures ordered by the provincial government.
In a video message issued Saturday afternoon, Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah said the province had recorded six deaths in the last 24 hours, taking the provincial tally to 28.
He noted that on April 11, there were 104 positive cases reported within just a 24-hour period. The areas being sealed include: “UC – 6 Gillani Railways, UC – 7 Dalmia, UC – Jamali Colony, UC – 9 Gulshan II, UC – 10 Pehalwan goth, UC – 12 Gulzar e Hijri, UC – 13 Safora, UC – 14 Faisal Cantt, UC – 2 Manzoor Colony, UC – 9 Jacob Line, and UC – 10 Jamshaid Quarters”.
Eleven areas of the port city have been ordered to be sealed off in the wake of increasing coronavirus cases, the city’s deputy commissioner said on Saturday.
Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah said that the province is presenting a dismal picture in terms of new coronavirus cases and death toll despite stringent lockdown measures ordered by the provincial government. In a video message issued Saturday afternoon, Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah said the province had recorded six deaths in the last 24 hours, taking the provincial tally to 28.
The CM Sindh noted that on April 11, there were 104 positive cases reported within just a 24-hour period.
The areas being sealed include: “UC – 6 Gillani Railways, UC – 7 Dalmia, UC – Jamali Colony, UC – 9 Gulshan II, UC – 10 Pehalwan goth, UC – 12 Gulzar e Hijri, UC – 13 Safora, UC – 14 Faisal Cantt, UC – 2 Manzoor Colony, UC – 9 Jacob Line, and UC – 10 Jamshaid Quarters”.
“To curb this pandemic we have to take some big steps,” the government official said, adding that measures will be taken to continue the supply line in the areas. According to the notification, the step is being taken under Sindh Epidemic Disease Act (2014) and “in larger public interest to prevent widespread outbreak of novel coronavirus”.
“Karachi Police and Rangers are requested to cordon off above mentioned areas to ensure public safety,” the notification read.
While speaking to Geo News, the deputy commissioner said that people should return to their houses before midnight so that the lockdown measures could be implemented.
Meanwhile, there is a serious mix-up in the numberings of the union councils contained in the notice, media reported. Several of the numbers mentioned in the notification are wrongly attributed to the names of neighbourhoods.
Gilani Railway is a part of UC-22 not UC-6, Dalmia is UC-23 not UC-7, Jamali Colony is UC-24 not UC-8, Gulshan Town is UC 27 not 10, Gulzar-e-Hijri is UC-29 not UC-13, Safoora is UC-30 not UC-13, Jacob Lines is UC-10 not UC-9, and Jamshed Quarters is UC-13 not UC-10. So far, 1,318 COVID-19 cases have been registered in the province with 28 deaths, while Pakistan’s infected tally has surpassed 4,800 with a death toll of 78.
Chairperson District East Moeed Anwar said that the step has spread panic among the citizens who are inquiring how long the closure will last. “The citizens have not been informed properly in this regard.”
“The authorities should have informed the people some time earlier so they could have prepared for this,” he said. He said that over “700,000 people reside with in these sealed off areas”.In a video message issued Saturday afternoon, Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah said the province had recorded six deaths in the last 24 hours, taking the provincial tally to 28.
The CM Sindh noted that on April 11, there were 104 positive cases reported within just a 24-hour period.
“We have recorded 104 cases in the province, which is an increase of 20 per cent,” he said, describing it as the ‘highest average [daily increase] in the world’.
He said that the new cases have taken the tally in the province to 1,318.
“We have given orders for stricter measures in Malir,” Shah said, while noting that cases were also rising in Hyderabad, forcing the authorities to enforce stricter measures. The CM noted that the situation regarding the curbing of the disease is deteriorating and the reason is lapses from the public’s side in following orders.
“A stricter lockdown is our need at the moment,” he added. Governor Sindh Imran Ismail has opposed an extension in the lockdown, which is set to remain in force until April 14.
Ismail said that it is not appropriate to extend the lockdown after the abovementioned date, as it is pertinent to acknowledge the difficulties being faced by the people. The PTI leader said that he has been receiving complaints from the public.
The province has been observing a strict lockdown since the middle of March, with the provincial government recently having extended the lockdown until April 14. Last week, Sindh Education Minister Saeed Ghani said lockdown rules may be revised on April 14, paving the way for a little leniency.
In a statement, Ghani explained that the rules would be relaxed so that some sectors will be given conditional permission to resume operations.
