Stop registering cases against citizens without COVID-19 vaccination cards: Karachi police chief

• Registration of cases against passersby without vaccination cards stopped by Karachi police chief Yaqoob Minhas
• Karachi police chief's orders come a day after more than two dozen cases registered in city and about 40 people arrested for not having COVID-19 vaccination cards.
• Earlier, Sindh government had decided to arrest unvaccinated people after NCOC issued fresh directives to expedite COVID-19 vaccinations.

KARACHI: The Karachi police chief stopped the police from registering cases against citizens for not having their COVID-19 vaccination cards, Geo News reported Saturday

Karachi Additional IG Yaqoob Minhas directed the police to limit their operations to wedding halls, hotels and entertainment venues and said that action should only be taken in public places in the presence of an assistant commissioner.

His orders come a day after more than two dozen cases were registered in the city and about 40 people arrested for not having COVID-19 vaccination cards.

According to police officials, the cases were registered under the Sindh Infectious Diseases Act 2014.

Police officials say the Sindh home department's letter is not clear about the operations. The home department had made it mandatory for the staff of public dealing companies to be vaccinated against coronavirus.

It was also mandatory for staff working in transport and industries sectors and markets to get vaccinated against coronavirus.

The Sindh home department had written letters to the inspector-general of police, Rangers director-general and divisional commissioners calling for the registration of cases and imposition of fines against those who do not comply with coronavirus standard operating procedures.

Earlier this week, the Sindh government had decided to arrest unvaccinated people after the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) issued fresh directives to expedite COVID-19 vaccination in the country.

According to a notification issued by the home department in light of the fresh directives, travellers on the motorways would require to get vaccinated by September 20. It further said buses and other equipment of transport companies would be seized over the presence of unvaccinated staff.