Seven policemen have tested positive for coronavirus, says Karachi police chief Memon

KARACHI: Amid concerns over the safety of law enforcement personnel deployed on coronavirus duty, seven policemen in Karachi have been reported to have contracted the virus, according to The News.

Seven policemen have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and sent to isolation centres, Karachi police chief Ghulam Nabi Memon said on Monday.

Talking to The News, Additional IGP Memon said seven officials of the Sindh Police Department were found to have been infected with the virus. He said the cops had not been performing lockdown duties, but had been deployed as drivers or working at the offices of various departments.

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The patients include a driver of the Karachi police administration department, a personal staff officer, a gunman and a staffer of the investigation department.

Memon said clear directions had been issued to policemen to adopt preventives measures, including the wearing of masks and gloves, and maintaining a distance from each other.

He added that it was decided that all station house officers of police stations and deputy superintendents of the police posted in Karachi would get a weekly day-off as well. 

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In this regard, the Karachi police department has given orders to all DIGs and SSPs posted in Karachi. Under the new plan of service, the DSPs will get the option of the weekly day-off on Saturdays, while the SHOs will get the same option on Sundays.

On Sundays, the additional SHOs would act as SHOs of the police stations. The police personnel associated with every police station would similarly get a day-off under a proper time table.