KARACHI: The provincial administration on Wednesday warned that businesses and markets violating standard operating procedures (SOPs) set to contain the spread of coronavirus would face serious action, including heavy fines and seizure of their assets.

The warning came at a meeting chaired by Sindh Chief Secretary Syed Mumtaz Ali Shah at his office regarding implementation of the SOPs. It was attended by Sindh IGP Mushtaq Ahmed Mahar, additional chief secretary for home Mohammad Usman Chachar, additional IG Karachi Ghulam Nabi Memon, secretary for the labour department Abdul Rasheed Solangi, the transport secretary, additional commissioner of Karachi and all DIGs, deputy commissioners and SSPs of Karachi division.

A statement issued after the meeting said that the chief secretary told the meeting that violations of SOPs would not be tolerated and all shops and markets violating SOPs would be sealed, adding that the lockdown had prevented the spread of the disease.

‘The disease can be prevented from spreading further by following SOPs’

“Now that everything is open, the disease can be prevented from spreading further by following the SOPs,” the statement quoted Chief Secretary Shah as saying. “All traders and trade associations have assured of implementation of SOPs and have also submitted undertakings. It is their duty to strictly implement SOPs.”

He said there was an Epidemic Diseases Act and an ordinance in the province for violating SOPs under which a fine of up to Rs1 million could be imposed on the spot.

The chief secretary advised the police and all field officers to also protect themselves and their subordinates from the coronavirus.

“We’ve all worked in emergencies, but it’s a different kind of emergency,” he said. “The Sindh government has issued separate SOPs for each sector. The information department should start publishing all SOPs in English, Urdu and Sindhi newspapers for public awareness.”

Grievance committee set up

During the meeting, the statement said, a grievance committee headed by the divisional commissioner was set up to resolve the grievances of the traders.

In the meeting, IG Mushtaq Ahmed Mahar said that while imposing fines or sealing the shops and markets, the officers concerned should record the proceedings with their mobile phones which would further ensure transparency of the proceedings.

The additional commissioner of Karachi, the statement added, informed the meeting that since June 5, 170 shops, markets, bachat bazaars and parlours had been sealed in Karachi division, and a total of 687 violations had been recorded on which six FIRs had also been registered.

The CS directed him to submit a report of action on violation of SOPs on a daily basis.

The transport secretary said so far 87 passenger buses had been seized for violations of government orders. He told the meeting that passenger vehicles from different districts and other provinces were coming to Karachi and Hyderabad during night against which action should be taken.

The CS directed all deputy commissioners and SSPs to take action against passenger buses in their relevant districts as there was a ban on public transport travelling from one district to another.

The labour secretary also informed the meeting that 87 complaints of layoffs were received and all complaints had been resolved by contacting the senior management of the relevant factories. He further stated that two complaint cells had also been established at the Sindh labour department.

Published in Dawn, June 11th, 2020