Coronavirus: Karachi authorities seal several eateries, two gaming zones for SOPs violation

KARACHI: Authorities have sealed two gaming zones and at least 14 restaurants in the city's South district for violating the government’s coronavirus standard operating procedures (SOPs), The News reported on Wednesday.

Deputy Commissioner South Irshad Ali Sodhar said his team inspected 41 restaurants, of which 17 were warned to follow the SOPs, while 11 were immediately sealed for not paying heed to the government’s directives at all. That aside, three more eateries and two gaming zones were also shut down.

Read more: Pakistan's COVID-19 positivity nears 5%

“We inspected six shops and warned three of them to comply with the SOPs. That apart, we checked four wedding venues, issued warnings, and fined them with Rs185,000,” Sodhar told the publication.

Meanwhile, the Serena Mobile Market located in North Nazimabad — sealed earlier for three days — has been reopened as of Monday, November 2.

Enforcing SOPs anew

As Pakistan experiences the second wave of the novel coronavirus and the number of positive COVID-19 cases surge, Deputy Commissioner East Syed Muhammad Ali issued a notification under Section 3 of the Sindh Epidemic Act 2014 to enforce the SOPs.

According to the notification, wearing a mask in confined indoor places, crowded spaces, bus stands, and inside public vehicles was declared mandatory for everyone. Besides, authorities would also impose broad-based smart lockdowns in coronavirus hotspots across Karachi.

Moreover, all commercial activities would have to be stopped by 10pm.