Sindh allowed to extend COVID-19 lockdown by PM Imran Khan: report

• Lockdown restrictions in Sindh likely to be extended for another week.
• PM Imran Khan allows Sindh government to take appropriate action to curb virus spread.
• Says provinces are independent to take their own decisions on COVID-19.

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday granted approval to Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah’s request to extend coronavirus restrictions in the province, according to a report published in Dawn.

The National Coordination Committee meeting was chaired by PM Imran Khan, which reviewed the coronavirus situation in the country.

While addressing the NCC meeting, CM Murad said that despite closing marketplaces by 6pm and restricting people to their homes, with some exceptions, the COVID positivity ratio has shot up to more than 10%.

Read more: Sindh extends coronavirus restrictions for another two weeks as situation worsens

The report, quoting unnamed sources, said the premier allowed the chief minister to take necessary steps to curb the spread of the virus.

“Provinces are independent to take their own decisions regarding COVID-19 and Sindh can extend lockdown restrictions for another week if it deems appropriate,” the prime minister reportedly told CM Murad.

The report added that the chief minister had asked the prime minister about the Sindh government extending the coronavirus lockdown. 

The Sindh government, last month, had extended the lockdown restrictions for two weeks amid rising COVID-19 cases after Eid holidays.

Read more: Sindh govt restricts all 'unnecessary movement' after 8pm

'Whole of nation approach'

Separately, addressing a press conference after attending the meeting of the NCC, the head of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), Asad Umar had said that the government will launch a major campaign to make sure that the coronavirus vaccine reaches the entire population.

The federal minister for planning said that the restrictions introduced by the government before Eid had paid dividends as the positivity rate was declining.

He explained that the restrictions were a “defensive action” and affects the livelihood of the people, adding that the only way out of the current situation was to get vaccinated.

Umar said that the government is hoping to get enough people vaccinated by Eid-ul-Azha so that there is no need to impose restrictions as they did on Eidul Fitr. To that end, the minister said that the government is shifting from the “whole of government approach” to a “whole of nation approach”.

Asad Umar said that under the whole of government approach “all departments, be it federal or provincial, are working together” against COVID-19. “The next stage that we are going to is called the whole of nation approach.”

He added that this means that the “whole nation has to work together” for the vaccination drive.

“To make sure that the vaccine reaches everyone, we are launching a major campaign,” he said.

The minister said that as the first step, the NCOC will hold a meeting with media owners and anchors on Tuesday (today).