Hardest-hit Sindh stiffens measures to scuttle virus spread

By News Desk

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has ordered the closure of restaurants, shopping malls, public parks and government offices for 15 days, as the province — the hardest hit by coronavirus cases in the country with 172 confirmed cases from the nationwide tally of 237 — enacted drastic new measures to contain the spread of the contagion.

Shah took the decision while presiding over the 20th meeting of the coronavirus taskforce at the Chief Minister’s House, a statement said on Tuesday. “We want to limit people to their homes to contain the spread of pandemic,” Shah was quoted as saying according to his spokesman.

Among the raft of other measures to be implemented in the province from today onwards (Wednesday) were dining-in facilities at restaurants will be banned but delivery will be allowed; grocery stores can remain open for 24 hours. All grocery stores, including those that sell milk, vegetables, meat and fish will remain open during the shutdown.

Inter-city buses services will remain shut. However, intra-city bus service would continue “as usual”.

A popular beach in Karachi, which typically draws large crowds from the metropolis, was also ordered shut.

Shah also instructed K-Electric to ensure uninterrupted supply of electricity during the shutdown of the malls and restaurants. The chief secretary will issue notification of closure of all government offices – except essential services like health and utilities — from Thursday (tomorrow).

The chief minister warned that coronavirus “has started spreading through social contacts in the city and other areas of the province”. “If we fail to take strict measures in time it is bound to affect the entire province and then our health facilities will fall short to provide medical treatment,” he said.

The hospitals would continue functioning as usual, however their outpatient departments would remain closed for 15 days. The hospitals were ordered to keep their emergencies open round the clock.

Shah also decided to establish a coronavirus relief fund of Rs 3 billion, in which he announced that he would to donate one month’s salary. All the cabinet members, advisers and special assistants to the CM, Chief Secretary Mumtaz Shah, Sindh chief of police Mushtaq Mahar and P&D Chairman Mohammad Waseem will also donate their salaries in the fund, as will Karachi Mayor Waseem Akhtar.

The chief minister also announced that all the government officers of grade BPS-21 would donate half of their salaries while the employees of grade BPS-17 to 20 would contribute 10 per cent. Employees from grade BPS-1 to grade 16 would contribute 5 per cent of their salaries. The chief minister also approved transfer of Rs 1 billion into the fund. The coronavirus fund would be under Chief Secretary Shah while other members would be secretary finance. Dr Abdul Bari of Indus Hospital, Mushtaq Chapra and Faisal Edhi would be private members. The funds would be used by the committee in a transparent way.

The secretary finance and a private member would operate the account with their joint signatures. The chief minister appealed to philanthropists, industrialists and the well off to donate to the fund in cash so that proper care of the patients, suspects and people of Sindh could be made.