Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Syed Murad Ali Shah said on Friday that the lockdown imposed in the province until August 8 was ‘partial’, and not complete as was being understood, reported 24NewsHD TV channel

Addressing a press conference in Karachi, he said the Sindh government would start easing the lockdown from August 9, but it depended on its success. “And even while relaxing the lockdown, the provincial government will make it sure that this happens along with compliance with the standard operating procedures (SOPs),” he added.

Warning that the fourth wave of the coronavirus (Delta variant) was quite deadly and had hit the provincial capital hard, the CM said ratio of the virus cases which was around just one per cent in rural areas of the province had now jumped to six per cent. “In District East of the provincial capital, the ratio of cases stands at 33 per cent,” he disclosed.

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Murad said that Covid-19 spread at congested places, and affected five persons at a time. “The first wave of the coronavirus had not caused as much loss of life,” he said.

“Your cooperation can only guarantee the success of our decision,” he appealed to the people.

He informed that the federal government had assured him of complete cooperation in order to make the lockdown a success.

He said he had directed the ministers to keep an eye on the situation. “An application has been submitted to the Sindh Assembly speaker for holding assembly sessions online,” he informed.

He told media men that the export-oriented industries would remain open. “Apart from that pharmacies, restaurants and petrol pumps are also exempted from the ban. Restaurants will only be allowed delivery of the food items,” Murad said, and added that the examinations which were to start tomorrow (Saturday, July 31) had been rescheduled.

The chief minister said that the Sindh government would make it sure that the vaccination drive did not get affected by the lockdown. “There was almost a curfew like situation in Punjab during the third wave of the pandemic, which was fine,” he said.