Sindh rejects restricting transportation of essential items from Karachi Port

KARACHI: The Sindh Government on Wednesday denied the reports that it was hindering free movement of the essential goods including food items from the Karachi Sea Port on its onward journey towards the upcountry during the lockdown regime in place in the province.

In a statement released to media, Sindh Information and Local Government Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah said that the provincial government had not placed any restriction on free movement of the goods’ transport from the Karachi port carrying essential items including edible products on its onward journey to the upcountry areas. He said that the goods’ transport carrying such essential items including food commodities from Karachi port are continuing with its operation as usual during the lockdown regime in Sindh. He said that Sindh government had not placed any such restriction nor it had any plan to do so in future as well.

Shah said that the Sindh government of the Pakistan Peoples Party is fully acting upon the advice of the Chairman of the PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to work in collaboration with the federal government during the present national emergency related to the COVID-19 challenge. He said that people should avoid spreading such baseless reports as there should be full focus of all the relevant quarters to provide emergency relief to the needy people, labourers, and daily wage earners, whose livelihood had been gravely endangered due to the lockdown regime in place.

He said that the government with support of the charities would provide food rations to the poor people during the present lockdown so to support them during the present challenging times. In this regard a recent circular sent by Sindh Government’s Home Department to the deputy commissioners and DIGs of police posted in various areas says: “The Government of Sindh has allowed free movement of goods to ensure availability of essential items throughout the province and the country. It is therefore, clear that the transport of goods from warehouses, where such products are stored, can be collected and transported for subsequent distribution at destination, storage, sale points etc. However, officials are to ensure that the individuals involved in these activities adhere to the guidelines on social distancing and adopt precautions against Coronavirus spread with respect to goods and themselves while travelling, working, and meeting people as per orders/directives issued by Government of Sindh, from time to time.”