A dangerous virus

Two days after the Sindh government announced a citywide lockdown in Karachi, I went to a local market for grocery shopping. I was surprised to see that all retail shops, including supermarkets, were open. What was even more shocking was to see that shoppers were not wearing face masks. Shopkeepers quickly put up the shutters when they saw police vans. However, as soon as these vans went out of sight, they reopened their shops. No lockdown can work just by announcements; it has to be implemented in a strict manner. The provincial government should either take steps to strictly implement the lockdown at all costs and can consider imposing a week-long curfew in selected localities with the help of the army or not make such decisions which it cannot implement in an efficient manner. Such confused messages and actions irritate people and allow the political parties to criticise the provincial government.

Also, it is important to mention that it seems that people are now serious about getting themselves vaccinated. The Sindh government should make proper arrangements so that maximum people receive their vaccine doses in a timely manner. There is no doubt that only vaccines can play an effective role in this long fight against Covid-19.

Malik ul Quddoos

Karachi