3 Karachi industrial units sealed for lockdown breach

KARACHI: Sindh government on Monday sealed three industrial units in Karachi for violating the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) issued by the provincial authorities to ensure safe workplaces during the lockdown.

The action was taken by Deputy Commissioner District Korangi. Two pharmaceutical companies and one tea-packing company were sealed after the owners were found violating directives of the authorities regarding the transportation of employees to work premises, spokesman Murtaza Wahab said.

Wahab said anybody found flouting the SOPs would be dealt with strictly under the law.

Although the provincial government had issued directives about maintaining social distancing, the spokesman said that a large number of employees were boarded on buses provided by these companies where especially women were being transported in crowded vans.

“The business fraternity should avoid the misuse of facilities provided to them amid lockdown,” Wahab maintained, adding that the factory owners should adhere to the orders issued by Sindh government and medical experts as the province witnesses surging cases for coronavirus. In response, President Korangi Association Sheikh Omar Rehan said that industrialists are being harassed in the name of SOPs.

“We will shut down industries if tightening is not stopped,” said Rehan, adding that the economy will change if the importance of industries is not realised, especially in these times of crisis.

Last week, Sindh government issued SOPs to be adopted by the persons and business-concerns that are specifically permitted to operate during the COVID-19 pandemic. The SOPs are applied to all activities related to food/agriculture, medicine/health, and such other related activities declared as essential for day-to-day life during the pandemic have been specifically allowed by the government.

The SOPs are applied to all such individuals, businesses /workplaces such as offices, shops, sale points, manufacturing/processing units, factories, mills, stores/warehouses or any place of business and work.