Sindh police to begin widescale action from Karachi to halt public activities

KARACHI: Sindh police department will begin a widescale operation from Karachi to halt public activities and movements across metropolis despite sending various warnings issued by the provincial government due to coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic cases, citing sources, ARY News reported on Friday.

Sindh police department is all set to begin strict implementation of orders issued by the provincial authorities under anti-coronavirus campaign to restrict movement of citizens.

Following the instructions by higher authorities, police forces will establish check posts in different areas of the metropolis and question travellers to provide reasons for their movement. Sources said that the move is being taken to stop people from picnicking and crowding at public places as a precautionary measure to contain further spread of coronavirus.

Read: Pakistan confirms third coronavirus death, first in Karachi

Sources said police will begin its operation from Karachi.

The development is seen after the Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah asked citizens to avoid coming out of their homes for the next three days amid rising count of transmitted cases.

Earlier, Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said while presiding over a 23rd meeting of the provincial task force that Sindh has 51 locally transmitted cases of the new coronavirus.

Read: 34 trains suspended due to coronavirus: Pakistan Railways

Over the course of the meeting, he was informed that the results of as many as 402 samples of the second batch of pilgrims who arrived in Sukkur from Taftan are awaited.

83 samples collected in Larkana have not yet reached Karachi for testing.

The chief minister said the number of cases of local transmission of the virus has reached 51, which he said is a cause for concern.

He urged the people to stay indoors and exercise social distancing to not only guard themselves against the disease but also their children.