Eidul Fitr should be celebrated with simplicity, says Sindh CM as cases continue to rise.

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on Thursday urged people to celebrate the upcoming Eidul Fitr in a "simple way" as the number of Covid-19 cases in the province neared 20,000.

Speaking at a press conference in Karachi, Shah asked people not to travel to their villages for Eid so the spread of the virus could be contained.

He said that the spread of Covid-19 in cities has already overburdened the health system of the country. If the virus spread in villages, where health resources were scarce and access to facilities was difficult, it would be tough for the government to cope with the crisis.

He further asked people not to go shopping for new clothes, saying that he would also not wear new clothes on Eid.

"It's alright if you don't wear new clothes. I was surprised to hear comments like 'you may not want to wear new clothes, others might' [...] How would it look if I get new clothes while a daily wage worker who was affected cannot afford it?" he questioned.

Shah said that he was dedicating this Eidul Fitr to frontline workers, "all the doctors, paramedics, nurses, ward boys, police and other security officials" who were working to combat the virus, adding that people could give healthcare workers a "gift on Eid" by staying home.

He said that Prime Minister Imran Khan should also make a national announcement calling for people to celebrate Eid with simplicity. "I have said from the first day that there should be a national narrative."

Package for doctors

The chief minister also announced that a proposal to provide compensation packages to families of doctors, who passed away from the virus, would be tabled before his cabinet.

He said that the provincial government already gives packages to policemen who lay down their lives in the line of duty. A similar package would be approved for doctors as well. "The package will be for doctors working in government as well as private hospitals," he added.

Seven doctors in Sindh have succumbed to the novel coronavirus so far, Shah said. While paying tribute to the late doctors, he said that until now, 364 healthcare professionals have been infected by the virus.

The chief minister further said that 274 policemen were infected, out of which 50 have recovered. Five officials have passed away, he said.

'Effect of easing lockdown to be seen in 14 days'

Shah said that malls and markets had also been allowed to open and people had started coming out of their homes. "The effect of easing this lockdown will...