Karachi authorities seal over 300 shops in Defence Housing Authority

• Karachi’s District South admin sealed 330 shops and a shopping centre in the Defence Phase 2 neighbourhood. 
• Officials say that all the shops and shopping mall were sealed due to the violation of coronavirus SOPs.
• The army, which was called in last month, aided the administration in implementing the SOPs.

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District administration, along with the army, sealed more than 300 shops, including a shopping centre, for violating the coronavirus standard operating procedures (SOPs) mandated by the government.

The administration of Karachi’s District South sealed 330 shops and a shopping centre in the Defence Phase 2 neighbourhood. They explained that all the shops and the shopping mall were sealed due to the violation of coronavirus SOPs.

Apart from the action in the district south, the authorities also sealed 800 shops and a plaza at the MA Jinnah Road.

Read more: Pakistan Army mobilises to help civil administration enforce COVID-19 SOPs

Shops were also sealed in Arambagh, Lyari, and fines were also imposed on the shops.

Army called in to help implement SOPs

Last month, Prime Minister Imran Khan said he had directed the military — as well as police and Rangers — to help ensure that the SOPs regarding COVID-19 are being strictly implemented and followed.

In a televised address after chairing a meeting of the National Coordination Committee (NCC) over COVID-19, the prime minister had urged the masses to adopt preventive measures against coronavirus so that the situation remains under control and a lockdown of big cities is avoided.

Read more: Pakistan bans outdoor dining as coronavirus cases surge

“We have been instructing the people to follow SOPs but they neither have fear nor are cautious. Therefore, the pandemic is spreading rapidly,” he had said.

“If you simply keep following SOPs and wearing masks from now on till Eid, then we will not have to take the extreme step of locking down cities, which India is, unfortunately, doing now,” he had added.