–Murad says Sindh govt 100pc on board with federal govt
–Info minister says long battle with coronavirus ahead
KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Friday said that the provincial government would implement the decisions taken by the federal government to ease restrictions from May 9 but a lockdown would still be in place.
Addressing a press conference, the chief minister said that except for construction and related industries, all other industries would remain shut. He said that essential shops and stores would remain open from dawn till 5 pm, but offices which were already closed would remain closed, and shops in residential areas would be open, but the restrictions on malls, bigger markets, and all public gatherings would remain as they are. However, on Saturdays and Sundays the province will be under complete lockdown, he added.
“The Sindh government is 100 per cent on board with the federal government’s plan,” said the CM. Despite differences, the provincial governments and the Centre are working together, he added.
Murad said that the Supreme Court (SC) has directed the federal government to work with the provinces as this is a difficult time for the country and decisions have to be taken based on facts and ground realities, not emotions.
He said that the decision to impose a lockdown was not a hasty one, and it prevented the curve from taking a steep upwards turn.
According to the chief minister, the federal government had extended the lockdown on April 14 for another two weeks. However, the ease in lockdown post-April 14, caused the rise in coronavirus cases, he maintained.
He urged citizens to comply with precautionary measures and to stay home as much as possible, even with the easing of the lockdown. “If you are allowed to leave your homes, according to the directives issued by the government, then make sure to follow standard operating procedures (SoPs). Wear a mask,” he said.
‘LONG BATTLE AHEAD’:
Meanwhile, Sindh Minister for Information, Local Government, Housing & Town Planning, Religious Affairs, Forest and Wildlife Syed Nasir Hussain Shah said that the coronavirus had spread so badly everywhere in the country that people would have to fight it for a long time now along with performing day to day affairs of their lives.
The provincial information minister said that just as the apex court had said that there should be a uniform policy on issues related to coronavirus, the Sindh government was with the federal government in the wider interest of the people, adding that, it would be better for the people if all were together in the time of pandemic.
He said that separate SoPs were being formulated for each type of business, and all businesses would be allowed to operate under the relevant standard operator procedures.
Shah said that the Sindh government had been saying from day one that, when the first case of coronavirus appeared in the country, if a uniform policy had been formulated and an effective lockdown had been implemented, the situation could had been completely different today. The provincial information minister said that the federal government did not do anything for a long time after the emergence of the first case of coronavirus in the country, but on the contrary, Sindh CM Murad, on the instructions of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, immediately formed a coronavirus task force which included a team of medical experts, adding that all the later decisions were taken on the advice of these medical experts. “Today all of us are suffering owing to the delayed decisions taken by the federal government,” he said.
The minister said that if the federal government had taken all the necessary decisions on time, instead of wasting time in criticising the good deeds of the Sindh government, the situation would not be so serious today. He said that there was a lot of criticism on lockdown in Sindh, but no one talked about who decided about imposing the lockdown in other provinces. He questioned whether the railway service and air service were also suspended by the Sindh government.
He said that when the coronavirus started spreading in the country, it was at that time that PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari told the Sindh government that it had to work together with the prime minister and the federal government. “We wanted to work with the federal government then, and we want to work with the federal government today, and we do not want to score any points on the coronavirus issue,” he said.
“Our position on controlling the spread of the virus was very clear. The Sindh government wants the prime minister to lead the battle and all decisions should be taken in consultation in the interest of the people,” the provincial information minister said, adding that if people’s lives were saved, the economy would continue to recover.
He also said that according to the federal government, if big shopping malls and commercial plazas were not be allowed to open, then what would open in a mega city like Karachi.
Shah said that the Sindh government was well aware of the problems of the business community, but the government had taken all the decisions in the context of the situation. “We did not make the decision to close the businesses happily but we had no other option,” he added.
