Retracing our steps

Letter April 04, 2021
The Sindh government does not seem to be too eager to prevent the crisis

KARACHI:

The first case of coronavirus was reported from Karachi on February 26, 2020. By March 18 of the same year, cases had been registered in all four provinces, the two autonomous territories, and the Islamabad Capital Territory; and by 17 June each district in Pakistan had recorded at least one confirmed case of Covid-19. In this situation, the quickest and most apt response was given by the Sindh government which imposed a strict lockdown in the province — markets were shut, educational institutes were closed and everyone was told to stay at home.

Now, when the threat of the third wave of the lethal virus looms over all provinces and the UK variant is spreading at an alarming rate, the Sindh government does not seem to be too eager to prevent the crisis. It seems as if their enthusiasm to curb the spread of the genome has dwindled. They have cut down on the number of tests, while markets and educational institutes are open. People have started flouting SOPs and are not taking the least bit of precaution. The Sindh government needs to realise the gravity of the situation and should work proactively, like it did during the first Covid wave.

Armeen Aftab Sariyo

Karachi

Published in The Express Tribune, April 4th, 2021.

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