Sindh intercity transport to operate at 50% capacity as coronavirus cases surge

KARACHI: The intercity transport throughout the province will operate at 50% of capacity, said a notification by the Sindh government on Friday. 

All passenger vehicles involved in intercity transport across the province will be allowed to operate at 50% capacity. 

The notification called on transporters and the public to strictly adhere to coronavirus SOPs or action will be taken against those who violate orders. 

A day earlier, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah had indicated the government's intention to introduce new restrictions on transport.

The chief minister was speaking at an event at Karachi's Sindh Institute of Animal Health where he questioned the PTI-led federal government's decision to impose a coronavirus lockdown earlier when it was the one that criticised the move when Sindh went ahead with the plan.

The Sindh chief minister had also underlined that the PPP-led provincial government had recommended shutting down intercity transport for at least two weeks — which, according to him, Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar said the NCOC would consider.

Shah had said PM Imran Khan "spoke time and again about how India imposed a curfew and shut down everything and how it was wrong but India had not imposed a curfew".

"The Indian [government's] mistake was that it did tell people to return to their homes but hundreds of thousands of people took trains, buses, and public transport to return to their villages and they interacted there and went on to infect their villages.

"We remained safe because we said we need to shut down trains and air travel and now, too, I have given the same recommendation which at the moment hasn't been rejected but the NCOC said it would consider it. However, if NCOC doesn't take these steps, we'll take them ourselves," he had said.