KARACHI: The Sindh government has offered a major relaxation to restaurant owners by allowing takeaway service during the upcoming Eidul Fitr holidays.
This was decided in a meeting of the Provincial Task Force on Coronavirus at the Chief Minister House which was chaired by Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah.
Participants were briefed on the latest pandemic situation across the province and the vaccination process.
Sindh Minister for Information Syed Nasir Hussain Shah on Wednesday said that the Eid prayers should be held at open places and with complete adherence to SOPs to avoid Covid spread on the festive occasion.
“Eid prayers should be held at open places and more and more open places should be utilized for the purpose,” he said while briefing media on decisions taken during a meeting of the Covid task force.
The minister said that he had visited parts of the city to review the implementation of Covid standard operating procedures (SOPs). “There should be no hugging or handshake during Eid greeting and the public should greet each other while keeping a safe distance,” Nasir Shah said.
He further shared that the government has allowed restaurants to operate takeaway services while adopting SOPs. “Strict action will be taken in case of violation,” he warned.
He said that they respect the business community and sympathize with them over the ongoing Covid-related curbs, however, they had to take strict decisions in order to safeguard public interests.
Further commenting on the NAB letter seeking details of officers’ appointment in urban Sindh, Nasir Shah said that the letter was unconstitutional and the government has rejected it.
“Did NAB seek similar details from other provinces?” he said while further asking if NAB could dare write a similar letter to other provinces and hoped that NAB chairman would take strict action on the matter.
VACCINATION CENTRES IN SINDH TO CONTINUE TO OPERATE DURING EID:
Chief Minister Murad on Wednesday said that the vaccination centres across the province will continue to operate during Eid days.
The Sindh CM presided over a meeting of the Coronavirus Task Force. On this occasion, he said that the Expo Vaccination Center should be kept open during Eid.
He appealed to the masses to stop relatives from visiting their homes.
Allowing the restaurants to resume takeaway services, CM Murad said that restaurants would not be allowed to have chairs and no one would get out of his car for takeaway.
The Sindh CM further said: “In the first week of Ramadan there were 4.71 per cent cases and 23 deaths, in the second week 6.31 per cent cases and 43 deaths, but in the third week the number of cases rose to 6.96 per cent and deaths reached 62 while in the fourth week there were 7.08 per cent cases and 64 deaths. If people are not careful, the situation will get worse after Eid.”
