Smart lockdown in selected Hyderabad areas remains ineffective.

HYDERABAD -- The smart lockdown imposed in selected areas of the city remained somewhat ineffective on its very first day on Friday as residents violated standard operating procedures (SOPs) defined by the Sindh government.

Hyderabad Deputy Commissioner Fuad Ghaffar Soomro had announced the lockdown effective for 14 days, from June 19 to July 2, to stem the spread of the coronavirus. It was given effect from 9am as per deputy commissioner's orders in three talukas of Hyderabad district.

The lockdown is enforced in around nine committees of the three talukas. Some areas of Qasimabad were excluded in the modified June 17 lockdown plan. Qasimabad taluka has the highest number of areas under lockdown.

Main arteries of these areas were closed with barbed wires and Rangers personnel were deployed there, but they mostly remained present till morning hours.

The DC had directed public to stay home and wear face mask when going out, but people did not comply with them. They were out without face coverings and even in the presence of police, motorcyclists passed through the restricted areas by using small passages that were left open. Traffic flow and people's movement remained normal in these areas while shops also remained opened on Friday as Saturday and Sunday witness normal closure of markets due to the lockdown.

In Hyderabad, 1,800 coronavirus cases have emerged since March and of them, 908 have recovered, according to official figures of district health office (DHO) Hyderabad. Out of 854 active cases, 769 are in home isolation till June 18. A total number of 46 deaths in the district have been reported so far since April.

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