11 Karachi UCs sealed after CM sounds alarm, says 'stricter' lockdown needed to control spread

Dawn.com Published April 11, 2020

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah called on Saturday for stricter lockdown measures in Sindh pointing to the grim new increase in Covid-19 cases in the province. — via Twitter.

Hours after Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah called for stricter lockdown measures in the province, pointing to the high percentage of positive Covid-19 cases in the past 24 hours, authorities in Karachi sealed eleven union councils in the city's district east on Saturday, citing reports of several Covid-19 positive individuals residing in those areas.

According to a notification issued by the Karachi district east deputy commissioner's office, the following UCs have been sealed:

UC-6 Gillani Railways
UC-7 Dalmia
UC-8 Jamali Colony
UC-9 Gulshan II
UC-10 Pehalwan Goth
UC-12 Gulzar-e-Hijri
UC-13 Safora
UC-14 Faisal Cantt
UC-2 Manzoor Colony
UC-9 Jacob Line
UC-10 Jamshed Quarters

In a video released by his office's Twitter account, the chief minister cautioned that there wasn't "much good news" in the last 24 hours and thus the province needed a stricter lockdown.

A photo posted by Instagram (@instagram) on Mar 22, 2015 at 11:21am PDT

"It's extremely alarming that there has been a record rise in new confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Sindh," Shah said, adding that 20 per cent of Covid-19 tests conducted in Sindh in the past 24 hours had come out positive.

"This is greater than the world average at the moment," Shah said.

Breaking down the numbers from the last 24 hours, Shah said that the province conducted 531 tests and 104 of them turned out to be positive. He also announced six new deaths, which he said were "a lot".

Meanwhile, a report issued by the provincial health department revealed that 87 of the 104 new cases in Sindh were from Karachi – all of whom had caught the virus locally. 13 cases of local transmission were reported from Hyderabad, and one from Sanghar.

Three people had died in Karachi from the virus in the past 24 hours, while 13 had recovered completely all over the province in the same time, the report added.

"When the lockdown measures were being strictly adhered to, the situation was much better," Shah argued, adding that the alarming increase in new cases was due to the recent relaxation in lockdown measures.

"The lockdown in Malir was quite ineffective, which is why today I've instructed to enforce a stricter lockdown there," Shah said.

The chief minister said that cases of Covid-19 were also increasing in Hyderabad, which is why a tighter lockdown will also be enforced in the city.

He also said that 919 people were still under treatment in the province.

"371 individuals who have completely recovered have returned to their homes and 13 more are returning today after recovering fully," Shah revealed.

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Khajur

Apr 11, 2020 05:33pm

This man is 100 times better than PMIK Niazi.

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M. Saeed

Apr 11, 2020 05:42pm

If the province of Sndh had yesterday conducted 531 tests and 104 of them turned out to be positive, it means 20% and the rate is very alarming. It proves lock-down was just nominal and people are not even caring the seriousness of the horrible situation developing. It is very essential that, drastic measures like curfew was imposed when people are not cooperating.

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Bramask

Apr 11, 2020 05:44pm

IK should learn from this man.

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Syed

Apr 11, 2020 06:07pm

Provinces need to act according to provincial situation. As PM told earlier.

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Syed A. Mateen

Apr 11, 2020 06:20pm

There is a lot of confusion on the notification issued today by Deputy Commissioner East, Karachi. The numbers of UC's were changed during the tenure of former president General Pervez Musharraf and the names of the voters were listed for 2018 general elections according to new UC's numbers. For example one old UC # 5 was changed into UC # 21 and similarly all old UC's numbers of District East were changed by concerned authorities long time back. Even Karachi City Map does not show any changes and neither it has been updated on Google. It would be better if Deputy Commissioner East should issue a detailed map of each UC which should seperately indicate names of areas blocked alongwith borders of UC's marked with red line so that people should not come into panic. This is very strange that the areas are going to be sealed from 12 midnight without any prior information of area residents and there is a possibility that the situation of law and order may be created due to confusion.

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Chris Dann

Apr 11, 2020 06:23pm

Good,Mr. Shah is on job.

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Hafeez Mushtaq

Apr 11, 2020 06:32pm

When we only selectively test those people who have symptoms or had contact history (high risk group) then it's natural to have high positive results. I think it's now right time that our CM should now arrange for antibody tests in general population at random and in medical workers. It will give us an idea that how much percent of population has got immunity silently. It's now more than one and a half months since the reporting of the first case, so epidemiological cycle suggests that we should go for antibody testing.

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Ahsen

Apr 11, 2020 06:34pm

@M. Saeed, indeed, businesses are open, offices are open, people are going for get-togethers. Who is asking, who is stoping these masses.

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Umair

Apr 11, 2020 06:45pm

Mr. CM what relief are you providing to people who have their livelihoods snatched from them because of these lockdowns.Private donors and NGOs are providing relief but where is Sindh government. You say 5 deaths due to COVID are too many, did you ever looked at number of people who die daily at JPMC or Civil Hospital karachi due to inadequate medical support. Maybe not because it was did not provide good media. Only reason you "appear" so active is to gain political mielage

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Fida

Apr 11, 2020 06:46pm

Murad Ali Shah you arr doing a wonderful job. Regarding people who are not adhering to the lockdown, a stern action is needed. People should be forced to stay indoor except in case of emergency situation.

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Tzaman

Apr 11, 2020 06:57pm

CM Murad, please do what you think is required. No need to look up to Federal government. They are still undecided. As Sindh CM you have to protect us, even it means to put severe lockdown measures. Our people are careless and also confused, getting conflicting informations from the Maulvis and also from the PM.

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Babar

Apr 11, 2020 07:21pm

The CM Sindh outperforms everyone... at least he is fully aware of whats going on. The Federal government should extend full support to him so that he can manage even better.

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Ratan bhai

Apr 11, 2020 07:25pm

@Bramask, 200% true bro

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Justice First

Apr 11, 2020 07:36pm

PPP and their sponsors are responsible for our poor fight against Corona in Sindh as our all governing systems including health are plagued with corruption.They are only active on media as ground realities are different.Now it is a Wadera party.

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Wajid Khan

Apr 11, 2020 08:12pm

@Bramask, do you mean learn corruption?

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m:ahmed

Apr 11, 2020 08:25pm

Sindh Govt declared the lockdown till April 14 but ours is case of irresponsible citizenry not observing safety precautions who will wrack havoc on the themselves and others specially in Karachi City. Karachi is crowded city and linked with all corners of the country and globe.Small homes with many family members make homes crowded. Neighbourhood are crowded with people exceeding the space limit ratio required for decent living .In fact Karachi can be called City of Crowds .And,viruses are spread in crowds rapidly. If one person is infected it would infect others and multiplication will occurs in thousands numbers with passing days.Mass Tests have not been done. Viruses must be circulating among the people undetected for days .With passing days numbers will grow...

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Saad - Ullah

Apr 11, 2020 08:28pm

@Khajur, he should lead PPP.

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Omar

Apr 11, 2020 08:41pm

Lockdown has already killed the economy of Karachi , now this man will starve everyone to death while being cheered by clueless Twitter and Facebook users who are completely detached to 90% of the population.

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arshad

Apr 11, 2020 08:49pm

Give necessary items to poor who are living in adjacent areas of Gulshan and others. Hopefully they will not come out for begging on streets. It's like a force comes out, as people have no work since last 20 days. Not everyone is getting benefit from ehsaas program

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Piyush

Apr 11, 2020 08:52pm

No use of lockdown with out increasing testing and tracing. Lockdown period helps countries to upgrade health system, testing and tracing else it is useless and just a burden on govt.

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AZAM AKBAR

Apr 11, 2020 08:59pm

@Umair, Mr. Umair, You are right. Mr. Chief Minister of Sindh of PPP Mr. Syed Murad Ali Shah wants to make score. Not because of coronavirus Sindh province is the worst in compare to other provinces of Pakistan ruling for decades by the most corrupt PPP.

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AZAM AKBAR

Apr 11, 2020 09:00pm

@Justice First, Mr. Justice First, Correct. Only lip service by PPP.

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Zak

Apr 11, 2020 09:02pm

Sind will get far worse as it is spiraling down due to massive mismanagement and corruption. Remove CM and the Governor should take over and stop the slide.

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Khăn Azam

Apr 11, 2020 09:36pm

@Tzaman, People need to adhere and follow Or CornaVirus will punish hard : but as news relates stone policeman and wounding female police SHO :,break her eye glass : in end people die - not police: sho or CM : if you practice you safe - if you careless you’re punished: CornaVirus is lethal! No ifs or Buts

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Mumtaz Ahmed Shah

Apr 11, 2020 09:46pm

Sindh Chief Minister,Murad Ali Shah’s initiative to seal Karachi district east UCS in view of extremely alarming increase of COVID-19 is applauded.(Texas)

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Muhib

Apr 11, 2020 11:05pm

his own family is killed in pandemic. thats why he is taking it seriously

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Jamal

Apr 11, 2020 11:10pm

Taken back the decision?

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AZAM AKBAR

Apr 11, 2020 11:28pm

@Bramask, Mr. Bramsak, " IK should learn from this man ". What do you mean by learning? Corruptions? Money-launderings? Lootings? Openings of benami (unknown / fake) accounts? Mal-administrations? Etc., etc?

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Haroon Temueri

Apr 12, 2020 12:10am

Bilawal and Murad Ali Shah continue to play politics of self interest have little concern as to the well being of common man their continued rehatric of saving the ppl by locking them does not have any merits bcoz ppl won’t die with corona instead will die with hunger these two idiots are the stupidest ppl of the world instead of looking ou for state and ppl they are motivated with their personal gains and point scoring

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Aamir Ibrahim

Apr 12, 2020 01:44am

Does not matter if it is CM or PM. People are themselves responsible for their own well being and for the well being of others. Government can only do so much.

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Rob

Apr 12, 2020 02:01am

Please, Pakistani people, don't listen to your mullahs for once and maintain your quarantine for at least 6 weeks. Otherwise, there will be a heavy price to pay

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Syed Hussain Akbari

Apr 12, 2020 03:00am

Murad Ali Shah has suffered very badly in his family and feels the pain of others. Sindh must be brought complete lock down for at least seven weeks. And it should be very strict with serious punishments to those breaching it. Daily announcements should be made through all the media channels and printed media both in Urdu and Sindhi. Road announcements should also be made at least twice a day. All the political parties and media must cooperate in every sense. The charity providers may please make their distribution per home deliveries and while doing they must also speak of the basic rules to practice.

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India

Apr 12, 2020 05:09am

Just create panic

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Solangi

Apr 12, 2020 05:15am

What about helping the millions of poor in this lockdown!

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jaredlee007

Apr 12, 2020 05:51am

Do you even know what is meant by lockdown vs. sealed? Complete chaos.

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MT Reddy

Apr 12, 2020 06:57am

@Umair, For that low population growth is responsible

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MT Reddy

Apr 12, 2020 06:58am

Good Job by sindh CM

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Ramesh

Apr 12, 2020 07:12am

AND, IK mocked Modi's lockdown plan!

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Salman

Apr 12, 2020 07:23am

Sind is not doing enough testing. They thought lockdown will make it go away. Big blunder.

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Abdul Rehman

Apr 12, 2020 07:25am

All our leaders are playing to get points but no one is serious to save the life of people. How many leaders are seen on the road to convene the people to remain in home. All are just informing on media to get popularity.

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Abdul Rehman

Apr 12, 2020 07:30am

It is the duty of higher authority to come in between the people to tell them how important is to keep social distancing for saving their own lifes. When the higher authority will be on road the result would be much better instead of announcing through media

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Muneer

Apr 12, 2020 08:10am

@Khajur, The sealing of 11 UCs of Karachi and increase in local transmission is indicative of the fact that the CM announced complete lockdown of Karachi - Sindh with great fanfare in media from 22Mar had been a big failure.Responsibility of this gigantic failure lies on him. Because local transmission instead of slowing down had in fact increased. The CM needs to be taken to task for his wrong and weak strategy and not praised.He had totally wasted precious time.

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Jonathan

Apr 12, 2020 09:40am

It will create panic, do testing, place patients in designated hospitals, and feed the affected poor people!

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AZAM AKBAR

Apr 12, 2020 12:04pm

@Justice First, Mr. Justice First, You are 100% right.

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AZAM AKBAR

Apr 12, 2020 10:08pm

@Syed A. Mateen, Mr. Syed A. Mateen, Because chief minister of Sindh of PPP Mr. Syed Murad Ali Shah thinks he is the most competent, most intelligent, most educated, most qualified and most smart person.

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