Rangers and police in Karachi have blocked several roads in 11 union committees (UC) in the city's East district by erecting temporary barriers and parking heavy vehicles, officials and witnesses said on Sunday.

Yesterday, the Sindh government had sealed off 11 UCs in East district to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus in the wake of increasing cases.

A notification issued by the deputy commissioner concerned said that entire areas falling within the limits of UC-6 Gilani Railway, UC-7 Dalmia, UC-8 Jamali Colony, UC-9 Gulshan II, UC-10 Pehalwan Goth, UC-12 Gulzar-i-Hijri, UC-13 Safoora Goth, UC-14 Faisal Cantonment, UC-2 Manzoor Colony, UC-9 Jacob Line and UC-10 Jamshed Quarters have been sealed forthwith as “record confirmed reports of individuals infected with Covid-19 residing in these areas”.

This decision was taken under the Sindh Epidemic Diseases Act of 2014 and the DC-East believed that this step was in the “larger public interest and to prevent widespread outbreak of Covid-19”.

Soon after the order was issued, police and Rangers cordoned off the areas to "ensure public safety".

Residents of the sealed localities told Dawn that water tankers had been placed at entry and exit points to block movement. Medical stores and shops have been allowed to open, they said, but complained that there was a shortage of necessary items as police were not allowing supply trucks to enter.

One resident of Kaneez Fatima Society, which is located in UC-12 Gulzar-i-Hijri, said that law enforcement officials had blocked Abul Hasan Ispahani Road by placing tankers near Paradise Bakery and were not allowing anyone to leave or enter. He said that one resident wanted to go to a nearby hospital but the police stopped him from leaving.

Roads leading to Super Highway and University Road have also been blocked. Tankers have been parked at Kamran Chowrangi and Jauhar Chowrangi to block the route leading to Professor Ghafoor Ahmed Road, a resident of Gulistan-i-Jauhar told Dawn.

A road leading to Pehalwan Goth has also been blocked but residents were allowed to move within the area. A few streets have been sealed off in Bhittaiabad and Safoora Goth while Manzoor Colony and Jacob Lines are under a partial lockdown, according to residents.

No blockade in DHA, Clifton

Meanwhile, Karachi Commissioner Iftikhar Shalwani denied reports that localities in Defence Housing Authority or Clifton are being sealed off. Senior Superintendent of Police (South) also rubbished the reports.

The commissioner confirmed that Carrefour, Dolmen City Mall, had been ordered to close for not enforcing the prescribed preventive measures.