Will use constitutional options if NCOC orders neglected in Sindh: Fawad Chaudhry

ISLAMABAD: Federal Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry on Monday said that the Sindh government was not able to implement Covid SOPs in the province and later decided to impose lockdown on its own, ARY NEWS reported.

Speaking during ARY NEWS programme, Bakhabar Savera, the information minister said that the federal government has made its position clear from the very first day regarding lockdown.

Detailing the communication between federal and provincial governments ahead of COVID restrictions in Karachi, Fawad Chaudhry said that Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah contacted NCOC head Asad Umar and SAPM on Health Dr. Faisal Sultan.

“The chief minister conveyed that they are going to impose lockdown,” he said adding that he was conveyed that the provinces could not decide on lockdown and are not authorized to take individual decisions.

“We have jointly fought three waves of COVID-19 successfully and why there is a need to change the policy now,” Fawad Chaudhry said and added that thought is needed to be given regarding reasons that led to a surge in positivity ratio in Karachi to 30 percent and blamed the provincial authorities for not implementing COVID SOPs properly.

He said that the government could not shut down the industries completely and snatch livelihood from daily wagers. “We have to move forward as per the NCOC policy,” he said and warned that if the provincial authorities would not implement orders then the federal government would use its constitutional options.