F.P. Report
KARACHI: Sindh Minister for Information Syed Nasir Hussain Shah Sunday said the lockdown in the province was not being lifted completely but only those business activities were being restored which were agreed upon between all stakeholders under SOPs.
The minister, in a statement, said that it was wrong to give the impression that lockdown was being completely lifted in Sindh. “In a situation where the coronavirus was spreading rapidly in the province, and it was not even known how far it will go, it is impossible for the Sindh government to lift the lockdown completely,” he said.
He said that any business person or trader who did not follow the standard operating procedures 100 per cent, he would not be allowed to do business. “God forbid, if the situation worsens, we will have to make tough decisions again,” he said. “We must not forget that the business community has a vital role to play in the economy and job creation,” he said.
The minister said that although the partial lockdown had not proved to be very effective so far, but it had definitely paid off. Syed Nasir Hussain Shah said that if the number of coronavirus patients in Sindh province started increasing rapidly, then the Sindh government would have to go for a complete lockdown again. Syed Nasir Hussain Shah said that the Sindh government had been continuously increasing its testing capability to detect people affected from coronavirus, besides, the medical facilities for the people affected with coronavirus were also being gradually improved. “But if the number of people infected with the coronavirus increases, we do not have enough medical facilities to provide the best possible care to all patients,” he said.
“The more people cooperate with the government and take all precautions and follow the standard operating standards set by the government, the more we will be able to stop the spread of the coronavirus and keep ourselves save from it,” he said. So other than the unavoidable circumtances, stay home, stay safe and save lives, he added.
Meanwhile, Syed Nasir Hussain Shah expressed deep sorrow and grief over the demise of the country’s famous comedian Athar Shah Khan and offered condolences to the family of the deceased.
In his condolence message, paying homage to the late Athar Shah Khan, the provincial information minister said that artists like Athar Shah Khan were born in centuries. He said the world could never forget people like Athar Shah Khan and paid rich tributes to Athar Shah Khan for his services to the arts at the behest of the Sindh government. Syed Nasir Hussain Shah prayed to Allah Almighty to elevate the ranks of the deceased and give his family the strength and courage to bear this grief.
