Marriage Halls and Restaurants Sealed in Karachi

At least six marriage halls and 103 restaurants have been shut down in Karachi. This was the direct result of zero or minimal compliance with standard operating procedures (SOPs), as laid down by the relevant authorities. National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) reported that the event halls and eateries sealed were found to be violating all-important health protocols. 

Soon after reporting this unfortunate occurrence, the center released a statement to warn the citizens of the country of the surge in cases. It instructed all the provinces to supervise the implementation of all SOPs. The NCOC explained that it is important to keep the safety of health in mind to curb the rapid spread of the virus. 

 As the coronavirus trends continue to show a resurgence in Karachi, the Sindh government has hinted at wanting to impose a lockdown on the city once again. However, they have postponed this decision until next week. 

Just a few days ago, authorities in the province were instructed to impose ‘micro-smart’ lockdowns in the Southern district. Two localities have been sealed, and all trading and commercial activities in them has been suspended. Pharmacies and grocery stores, on the other hand, remain open. People inside the sealed areas are being repeatedly reminded to wear masks when stepping out of their homes. 

Dr. Nadeem Sheikh, the health director in Karachi provided details regarding the issue on Thursday. He stated that 41 localities in the district of Malir, 24 localities in the Southern district, and two localities located in the West district have been shut down. Along with these, four localities in the Central district, a cluster of 39 and 637 houses in the Korangi and East districts respectively, have been identified as coronavirus hotspots in the City of Lights. 

The Karachi health director informed that all these hotspots will be sealed for now until the authorities reach a decision regarding the imposition of a complete lockdown. Dr. Sheikh warned that there is a possibility that the Sindh government will favor a lockdown if standard operating procedures related to the pandemic are continually ignored. 

On the 17th of September, shortly after the reopening of schools in the country, cases began to increase significantly. 22 educational institutions all over Pakistan were sealed due to the violation of health guidelines. One educational institution was shut down in the capital city, whereas sixteen were closed in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. In addition, five educational institutions in Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) were also sealed.