Asif Shaikh
Pakistan’s largest metropolis and the fifth largest city of the world wore a almost an uninhabited look on Wednesday after the Sindh government ordered a partial lockdown on Tuesday. The government has directed for 15-day closure of all shopping malls, restaurants and parks in response to a coronavirus outbreak. Sindh has reported the highest number of cases — 208 — among the provinces. On Wednesday, most shopkeepers were seen sitting on the roadside outside their closed shops. “We are doing it because the government has ordered us to do it,” a shopkeeper in Light House area said. “We have no option but to cooperate with the Sindh government, as this is a necessary precaution against the pandemic,” another one said.“These precautions are necessary. Labourers do not have any option — at least businessmen have a safety net,” another shopkeeper said. As residents preferred staying at home, ride-hailing services in the city also recorded an 80% decline in their morning bookings. SWVL notified itscustomers that it was suspending its operations. Weddings and other ceremonies scheduled at hotels had to be cancelled after a shutdown notification was issued late on Tuesday. Hotels in the metropolis also faced the fallout of the drastic measures taken to contain the spread of the virus.
