IGP asks police not to force citizens to wear masks

In accordance with the directives issued by the Sindh chief minister a day earlier, Sindh Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mushtaq Ahmad Mahar on Sunday warned all the police personnel and officers across the province not to force the citizens to wear masks it was the job of doctors to advise them in such matters.

Meanwhile, no arrest was made or FIR registered on Sunday against violators of the Section 144 imposed across the province. Therefore, the number of arrests and FIRs remain same as they were on Saturday when a total of 405 cases had been registered and 1,193 arrests made since the crackdown against the violators of the lockdown began on Monday.

A spokesperson for the Karachi police, Qamar Satti, confirmed that the police apprehended no one in Karachi on Sunday over the violation of the lockdown. IGP Mahar also issued special directives on Sunday to the police force regarding the implementation of the lockdown to combat COVID-19.

In his letter, the police chief ordered the force not to stop the transport of goods as it was the backbone of the country’s economy. He also clarified that the petrol pumps on the highways will remain open to ensure that there was no fuel shortage for the vehicles transporting goods across the country.

However, all the teashops and hotels situated along such petrol pumps on the highways will remain closed, the IGP ordered. He also told the policemen to adopt all the necessary safety measures to protect their lives during the pandemic.

“It also came into notice that the policemen are forcing the citizens to wear the masks and there is no need for doing this as doctors are available for [such] suggestions.” IGP Mahar said that during patrolling and checking, the policemen were supposed to keep a distance of at least three to four feet among each other. He asserted that this was mandatory for all the cops.

The Sindh home department also issued a letter on Sunday to clarify the timings of openings and closures of the petrol pumps within the city or on the highways. The notification read that the petrol pumps within the city will follow the timings from 8am to 5pm and puncture shops may remain 24 hours. The petrol pumps on the highways may remain open 24 hours to facilitate goods transport.

Visits to police pickets

Karachi Additional IG Ghulam Nabi Memon on Sunday visited police pickets in parts of District South. He was accompanied by South Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Sharjeel Kharal, Traffic DIG Javed Ali Mahar, South SSP Sheraz Nazeer and City SSP Muqaddas Haider.

The Karachi police chief awarded cash prizes and issued certificates to the policemen deployed at the police pickets for combating the novel coronavirus and dealing with the people in a courteous manner during the lockdown. Later, DIG Kharal along with the South SSP visited the police pickets established in parts of the Old City, lauded the policemen deployed there and awarded them with cash prizes.