Murad warns of tightening lockdown if SOPs not followed.

Byline: Tahir Siddiqui

KARACHI -- Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah warned on Tuesday that he would be left with no other option but to tighten the lockdown again if the traders and people of the province did not follow the standard operating procedures (SOPs).

In a video message released from the Chief Minister House, he said he had eased the lockdown and allowed business activities to resume within prescribed time frame immediately after a meeting with a delegation of traders on Sunday and getting their assurances for implementation of SOPs in letter and spirit. 'I am sorry to say, I have received solid reports that nobody, including traders and the people, is observing SOPs,' he said. 'If the SOPs, as agreed between the government and the small traders, are not observed,' he would have to withdraw the flexibility given for resumption of business activities.

'I am reluctant and do not want to tighten the lockdown, but you [people] are not understanding the severity of the pandemic which has spread throughout the province. Therefore, we all have to abide by the SOPs, otherwise our health system has no capacity to sustain the pressure of new positive cases,' he added.

The CM said the imposition of SOPs for doing business was aimed at saving the people from being infected and infecting others. Therefore, its [SOPs'] observance was mandatory for everyone, whether a trader or a customer. 'Why you [people] are going out without any valid reasons?' he wondered. 'We all have to learn a new lifestyle under Covid-19 era.'

'Our health system has no capacity to sustain the pressure of new positive cases'

Covid-19 report

Sharing the coronavirus situation report, the chief minister said 4,064 tests were conducted which produced 14.6 per cent, or 593, positive cases. 'We have conducted 99,117 tests against which diagnosed 12,610 cases as positive, which were 12.7 per cent of the total cases.'

Talking about casualties, Mr Shah said that 18 patients died which was the highest number since March 19 when the first death stemming from the...