Special arrangements devised for New Year Eve in Karachi amid COVID-19 pandemic  

KARACHI: Commissioner Karachi Navid Ahmed Shaikh on Tuesday mulled over special arrangements for New Year Eve in the city including a traffic plan for sea view amid COVID-19 pandemic, ARY NEWS reported.

According to details, Navid Ahmed Shaikh chaired a meeting of deputy commissioners, police officials and others to devise arrangements for New Year Eve, keeping in view the COVID-19 SOPs.

It was decided to make proper security arrangements at amusement places, sea view and major thoroughfares in the city. A strict ban will remain in place against one-wheeling, aerial firing and show of arms.

“Section 144 will remain imposed against aerial firing,” the commissioner Karachi led meeting decided including a restriction against the opening of restaurants and business centres after 5:00 pm on the day to avoid congregation at such places.

The meeting decided that DIGP traffic will devise a special traffic plan for sea view and would increase deployment on the routes to avoid traffic jams in the vicinity.

The deputy commissioners will remain in close coordination with Rangers and police to implement the plan for New Year Eve.

It is pertinent to mention here that with 2021 around the corner, Sindh police have also warned revellers against indulging in celebratory aerial firing on New Year’s Eve to avoid untoward incidents.

Additional Inspector General (AIG) Karachi Ghulam Nabi Memon, while talking to ARY News, said an attempted murder case will be registered against those found resorting to aerial firing.

“If a person gets hit by a bullet, the citizen who fired it will be nominated in the case and he will be deemed to have targeted the injured person and not fired the gun into the air,” he said.

“We have struck the word ‘aerial’ off the phrase ‘aerial firing’,” the AIG said, vowing strict security measures on December 25 (the birth anniversary of Quaid-e-Azam) and New Year’s Eve.