Daily Times

KARACHI: The Sindh government has decided to reimpose and re-regulate coronavirus restrictions in the province from Monday onwards as the positivity ratio in the province reached a new high of 25%

Sindh government announced that, from Monday onwards, shopping malls and markets will be allowed to operate from 6am in the morning till 6pm while grocery stores, bakeries and pharmacies are allowed to remain open through out the day.

The provincial government has imposed a complete ban on marriage halls and other gatherings and festivities on shrines in the province. They mentioned businesses and places have been ordered to close due to the worsening situation of the pandemic.

The decisions came during a meeting of the Provincial Coronavirus Task Force chaired by Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah. The authorities have also banned indoor and outdoor dining at the restaurants, and they will only be allowed to offer takeaway and delivery services.

Education institutions in Sindh will remain closed from Monday onwards, but exams will be held as per schedule. The provincial health secretary informed the meeting that the positivity ratio of the province has climbed to 10.3%, while the situation in Karachi is extremely bad where the ratio is at 21.58%.

CM Murad observed that the coronavirus situation in the provinces was alarming and warned that the situation could turn worse after Eid. Health Secretary Kazim Jatoi told the participants that 85% of the patients admitted in Sindh’s hospitals were not vaccinated.

Mobile sims of unvaccinated people to be blocked

Meanwhile, the Sindh government has decided to write the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to get the mobile sims of unvaccinated people blocked as the fourth COVID-19 wave grips the country.

Adviser to the Chief Minister Murtaza Wahab Friday tweeted that the Sindh government has decided to approach the NCOC and the PTA that mobile sims of unvaccinated people should be blocked.

A spokesperson to Sinch CM said that the PTA would be asked to send messages to the telecom users asking them to get vaccinated and block the sims of those not getting the jab within a week.

The chief minister also directed to stop salaries of unvaccinated government employees from the next month, and the instructions have been issued in this regard to the secretary finance.