Lockdown in Sindh: Violators of govt orders to face prison and fines

KARACHI: Sindh home department has released a notification for the imposition of a complete ban on public movement, social and religious gatherings across the province under Sindh Epidemic Diseases Act 2014 in view of the increase in the number of coronavirus cases, ARY News reported on Sunday.

The violation of the government orders will be considered as an offence punishable under section 188 of the Pakistan Penal code as provided under Section 4 of the said Sindh Epidemic Diseases Act 2014, the notification read.

Following the imposition of the lockdown, the movement of people including intercity or interprovincial travel, gathering of any kind for social, religious and any other purpose at any public or private place will remain banned for the next 15 days within the territorial limits of the province.

Read: Pakistan’s coronavirus cases surge to 644

The violators will face prison and fines over defying the regulations announced by the authorities.

The government has also restricted crowd in funeral prayers as only close relatives will be given permission to attend the final ceremony of their beloved ones in case of the person’s death.

The law defines that the people will have to take permission from the station house office (SHO) of a local police station for organising funeral prayers, whereas, those persons attending the funeral prayers will maintain a distance of at least 1 metre (3 feet) from each other.

Read: Sindh govt imposes province-wide lockdown from midnight

The persons associated with law enforcement agencies, hospitals, laboratories, media, social workers, port, medical stores and other essential services will be exempted from the restrictions under the lockdown.

In hospitals, only one attendant will be allowed to stay with the patient. Those people going to purchase medicines and essentials commodities will be permitted to move under the law, it added.

It is notified that the concerned officers including deputy commissioners, assistant commissioners and law enforcement agencies are empowered to take legal action against those violating lockdown orders.

Moreover, the provincial government has also established a central control cell to monitor cases of COVID-19 across Sindh. The cell will run 24/7 under the supervision of Secretary of General Administration department.