–CM Murad says govts need to impose strict measures, questions opening of construction sector
–Firdous says Sindh CM creating fear in people, provinces authorised to take own decisions regarding lockdown
KARACHI/ISLAMABAD: Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on Wednesday refused to ease certain lockdown restrictions in the province, drawing ire of the federal government which accused the Sindh government led by the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) of polarising the nation at a time when unity was required.
In a press conference on Wednesday, CM Murad said in order to contain the pandemic, the governments needed to impose strict measures, questioning the opening of the construction sector by the federal government.
The total number of infections in Pakistan crossed 6,200 amid 117 deaths and 1,446 recoveries.
Punjab accounts for the most COVID-19 infections, reporting 3,016 cases as of Wednesday evening. Sindh, Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have so far reached 1,668, 281, and 912 cases, respectively. Islamabad has 140 cases, Gilgit-Baltistan has 234 cases whereas Azad Kashmir has 46 cases so far.
“In light of recent numbers, there may be a need for stricter implementation of the lockdown in the coming days. We have told the federal government about imposing strict measures,” he said.
“We cannot understand the need to open the construction sector at the moment,” Shah said, referring to Prime Minister Imran Khan’s decision in this regard. “On the prime minister’s directives, the provincial governments will open construction sites after ensuring SOPs are being followed,” he said.
“Those workers aged more than 55 years will not be allowed to enter construction sites as per the guidelines. Workers will work in different shifts to ensure that no workplace is overcrowded at any time of the day.”
“It was decided in yesterday’s meeting that the lockdown in the country would be extended for 14 days. All the provinces were unanimous in the decision that the lockdown should be extended” he said. The CM added that there were some issues, however, that the provinces and the federal government did not agree on.
“Some provinces and the federal government agreed that some essential workplaces should reopen. We did not agree to open shops for barbers, plumbers, electricians etc,” he said.
“We did, however, agree that plumbers and electricians — those involved in travelling to homes to provide services — be allowed, provided they are following the SOPs issued by the government,” he said.
“We all agreed to restart the automobile sector and domestic flights with the implementation of decided SOPs. We, however, suggested that the federal government wait for another two weeks before resuming domestic flight operations,” he said. “We also agreed on the reopening of export-related industries,” he added.
According to Murad, as of Wednesday, 1,668 known coronavirus cases have been reported in Sindh and 41 deaths. The mortality rate in Sindh is 2.4%. He said 133 people recovered from the virus while six patients have died in the last 24 hours.
He said a stigma about the coronavirus is developing in the country, due to which at least 15 to 20 more people could have died of it, but we don’t have them on record because many families are burying their dead without informing the authorities.
About comments of top clerics regarding holding congregational prayers in mosques during Ramzan, he said the provincial government will address their reservations and the PM will talk to them as well.
He said the medical experts with whom he has been meeting since the first case was reported in Sindh expected the country-wide death toll to reach 190 to 200. The chief minister promised that he’s all ears to the reservations of every business sector and seeks their coordination in these difficult times.
‘POLARISING THE NATION’:
The presser didn’t go down well with the federal government, which questioned the strict lockdown policy of Sindh and the increasing number of mortalities.
PM’s Special Assistant on Information and Broadcasting Firdous Ashiq Awan said Murad was fully empowered under the constitution, but as the chief executive of the province, he was also responsible to save the vulnerable segments from starvation.
Addressing a joint press conference along with PTI Central Vice President Haleem Adil Sheikh, she said during the National Coordination Committee (NCC) meeting, the prime minister had authorized the provinces to take their own decisions regarding lockdown and opening of low-risk industries.
The special assistant said the PM was fully cognizant of his responsibilities and was taking along all the federating units to successfully surmount the challenge. She said the federal and provincial governments must work together to cope with the coronavirus challenge.
She said all other provinces accepted the decisions made in the NCC meeting but unfortunately Sindh government spokesman, also a provincial minister made a controversial tweet which was an effort to divide the nation at this critical juncture.
She said time and again the Sindh government was informed during the meetings of NCC that the provinces were free to take decisions in the larger interest of the people of their respective provinces keeping in view ground situation.
She said the rulers should give hope to the people but Murad’s presser was “pessimistic which might create fear and panic among the people of Sindh”. She reminded the Sindh CM that he had the powers to impose curfew in the province under the constitution but at the same time he had responsibilities to protect the rights of the people of the province.
She said if the Sindh government failed to provide ration to the poor segments of the society, it would mean that the lockdown was imposed to protect the rights of the upper class and to promote his image of ‘good boy’ in the media.
She assured that the federal government was ready to cooperate with the provincial government in the process of providing relief to the poor segments of the society and Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme was its manifestation.
She said the federal government announced Rs1200bn relief package after the spread of coronavirus, whereas the Sindh government had not announced any relief package for vulnerable segments of the society.
