-Traffic jams in Karachi ahead of ‘stay home, stay safe’ curbs
-Karachi’s infection rate shoots up to 14%
-President urges people to get COVID jab
-KP to implement NCOC lockdown decision
-Board exams to begin after June 15
-108 deaths, 4,198 cases reported in single day
By Ajmal Khan Yousafzai
ISLAMABAD: National Command Operation Centre (NCOC) Thursday given an additional task to the law enforcement authorities (LEAs) to manage entry and exit points at tourist spots during Eid holidays.
In special directives issued to the National Highway Authority (NHA) and Frontier Works Organization (FWO), the NCOC said that they should highlight banners at the toll plaza regarding the government’s decision to ban visits to tourist places during Eid holidays.
The NCOC said that the provinces have also issued directives to restrict movement during holidays, besides also banning tourist spots and hotels in these areas. The LEAs have been given special responsibility at tourist spots.
Traffic jams in Karachi: Massive traffic jams were reported in Karachi on Thursday afternoon as the country gears up for Eid under restrictions to curb the spread of coronavirus.
The National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) has recommended restrictions in movement from May 8-16, designating the period as a time to “stay home, stay safe”. Eid holidays will fall within this period, from May 10-15.
Although it is not clear, what spurred such a rush on the roads, it is safe to assume people have taken to the markets to do some last minute shopping. There was a blockage on the roads leading from Jama Cloth Market to the Tower area, Tibet Centre and ahead to Numaish.
Movement of cars on roads leading from the Tower area to Shaheen Complex was also severely hampered. Cars on both tracks leading to and from Liaquatabad Supermarket also came to a standstill.
Moreover, the road going from Mashriq Centre to Hassan Square was also reported to be completely jammed.
Karachi’s infection rate shoots up to 14%: Karachi’s coronavirus infection rate shot up to 14.32% in the last 24 hours, prompting the Sindh government to tighten the already imposed restrictions in place to curb the spread of the virus. In light of the increasing number of cases, Karachi’s district administration sealed 64 shops, arrested seven persons, and warned 369, a statement from the chief minister’s house said Thursday. “People do not understand [gravity] the situation,” Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said.
Meanwhile, President Dr Arif Alvi on Thursday asked the people to get vaccinated against COVID-19 to ensure safety against virus. “As I get my second dose today, I advise all, particularly elderly, to must get vaccinated and continue observing other precautionary measures,” the president said after receiving his second dose of vaccine at a COVID-19 vaccination centre in Tarlai, in the suburbs of Islamabad. President Dr Arif Alvi gets second dose of COVID-19 vaccine at a vaccination centre at Tarlai, Islamabad.
President Alvi said besides vaccine, adopting other precautions including wearing masks, frequent handwashing and maintaining social distance were important to contain the spread of virus. To avoid rush in bazaars, he stressed not to keep pending the shopping for Eid for last days of Ramazan. “If we show discipline, follow precautions and keep seeking Allah’s mercy, we will be bestowed with His blessings in tough times,” he said. President Alvi visited the vaccine centre without any protocol and got vaccinated after fulfilling the due process including registration at the service counter.
