KMC reserves five graveyards for burial of coronavirus victims

Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar has reserved five graveyards of the city for the burial COVID-19 victims.

According to a press statement issued by the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), the mayor said the coronavirus victims would be buried in only five graveyards reserved by the corporation and only few relatives of the deceased would be allowed to attend the funerals.

Talking to the media after reviewing measures to tackle the coronavirus spread at the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital (ASH) on Monday, Akhtar said all preventive steps would be taken by the local administration for the funerals of the coronavirus victims.

"Only close relatives of the deceased would be allowed to attend the funerals and no one will be allowed to have a last glimpse in the graveyard," he added. Metropolitan commissioner Dr Syed Saif ur Rehman, senior director Coordination Masood Alam, senior director health services Dr Salma Kausar, medical superintendent Dr Nadeem Rajput and other officials were also present on the occasion.

The graveyards reserved for the purpose are the Muhammad Shah graveyard in North Karachi, the Surjani graveyard, the Mawach Goth graveyard, the Korangi No.6 graveyard and the Gulshan-e-Zia graveyard in Orangi Town.

Akhtar said the KMC was taking all possible measures to control the pandemic and provide relief to the people of Karachi despite its limited resources. The mayor, according to the press statement, has approached the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Sindh Governor Imran Ismail for having the basic equipment to deal with the COVID-19, including ventilators, for the ASH.

"The ASH should also be given due funds so that it could be used for the coronavirus testing the way it was carried out at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, the Dr Ruth KM Pfau Civil Hospital and the Indus Hospital," he said, adding that just as other governmental departments, the KMC was also concerned about the current situation of the city.

The filter clinic established at the gate of the ASH, he said, was providing a preliminary testing facility. As for the fumigation, he said, its first phase had been completed in the District Council, whereas steps were being taken for the second phase.

Replying to a question during the press talk, the mayor said the pensions of the KMC employees had been released, whereas the salaries would be released after the provincial government's grant. The mayor also distributed masks and other preventive gears among doctors and other paramedics at the ASH.