It's not a complete lockdown, CM Shah says ahead of Covid led restrictions

KARACHI: Cheif Minister Murad Ali Shah said Friday holding a press conference ahead of Karachi-wide lockdown announced a while ago that delta variant is deadly and more infective calling for desperate measures, ARY News reported.

We could only get a hold of this global pandemic in its first wave after working on our health care and taking measures that were difficult but essential.

He said it’s not a complete lockdown where we shut down everything barring no exception however, this time we are making a number of exceptions whose list we will share with you.

He added that pharmacies, grocers and dairy shops, and export industries will not come under the lockdown restrictions. However, said the restaurant will remain open only for deliveries.

The banks are open since they are regulated by the federal government but we will request them halving their staff to maintain social distancing, he said.

PM said all the exams scheduled until next week, as long as the restriction-tightening is in place, are being postponed.

The CM stressed the need to vaccinate against Covid, noting it is the only way to fight the rampant and disastrous delta variant which at least infects five more people coming in contact with one already infected.

Our task force spoke with religious clerics yesterday wherein we convinced them to set up vaccination centers inside mosques to which many reassured us of their support, the CM added.

We are the last line of defence, the CM said referring to government policies that impose only when things get out of control in such times. You only come to the last line of defence when everything else has failed, he said, urging people to stand by the government-sanctioned restrictions starting tomorrow.

He said even in the past my restrictive policies to resist and curb covid graph were ridiculed but they produced positive results. People who say no other country in the world is imposing Covid lockdown are misguided and misinforming because that’s not the case, he said.

Sindh govt imposes province-wide lockdown after surge in Covid cases

It may be noted that the Sindh government has announced to impose a lockdown in the province from July 31 (tomorrow) until August 08 after an abnormal surge in COVID-19 cases especially in Karachi.

The decision was taken by Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah during the meeting of the COVID task force that was specially attended by opposition leaders and traders.

“Lockdown would remain in place in the province from July 31 to August 08,” Murad Ali Shah said.