Sindh Police has introduced an application which officials are using to monitor people’s movement during the provincial lockdown enforced to contain the spread of coronavirus, it was learnt on Saturday
“Sindh Inspector General of Police Mushtaq Mehar has provided us the application,” a police official said when contacted, adding: “We are monitoring the citizens through it. A person is stopped and questioned about where he is going. Then we enter his CNIC number and the area where he was stopped and let him go.”
The police official informed the media that they exempt media personnel, and medical staff among others, as ordered by Sindh government. The province has entered into the sixth day of the lockdown, with the law enforcement agencies maintaining stringent checking.
Earlier, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah had announced that law enforecement would monitor people through an application. In a step to obtain better results from the ongoing province-wide lockdown to deal with novel coronavirus, the Sindh CM directed the police chief to take stern action against the violators. Presiding over a high-level meeting in Karachi, CM Murad Ali Shah had directed Inspector General of Police Sindh Mushtaq Ahmed Mahar to take strict action against the people who are on the streets without any emergency. He directed the police chief to ensure complete ban on inter-city transport service and closure of shopping centersSindh Information Minister Nasir Hussain Shah had also hinted at imposing curfew across the province as people ignored government’s lockdown orders. Sindh govt had imposed a complete lockdown for 15 days from March 23 in order to contain and curb further spread of coronavirus.
On Friday, Sindh, in its attempt to control the spread of coronavirus, curtailed business timings from 8am to 5pm. The restrictions have been made more stringent as the coronavirus pandemic continues to claim victims across the country, with over 400 infections and a death in Sindh.
Earlier, the provincial government had allowed businesses to run for 12 hours (8am-8pm). The Sindh government has also announced to launch a mobile service to provide ration to the needy people affected by the coronavirus pandemic. As per details, the Sindh Govt will generate a number for this cause which would be sent to everyone via SMS. The needy people can text the number for ration. The Chief Minister has also formed a three-member committee for the distribution of ration to the needy people. The committee will look after the distribution of ration and cash to the daily wagers and needy people.
The committee will comprise Imtiaz Sheikh, Waqar Mehdi and CM Murad’s co-ordinator Haris Gazdar. The Chief Minister also urged philanthropists to come forward in these difficult times and help in the cause. He again appealed the nation to stay at home and follow guidelines given to them in order to stop the spread of COVID-19. The CM received “anonymous” donation of Rs1 million for the Sindh Coronavirus Emergency Fund.
