Police officials told to devise burial plan for COVID-19 victims

They are to identify routes for transporting bodies, cemeteries for burial

KARACHI: Sindh Operations AIG Dr Asad Ejaz Malhi has directed the SSPs and SPs of all districts of the province to jointly devise the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the burial of persons dying of COVID-19, after consulting with deputy commissioners and district health officers.

Malhi's directives came in the wake of Sindh Inspector General of Police Mushtaq Ahmed Mahar's orders for devising the burial SOPs in line with the instructions of the federal health minister.

As per Malhi's orders, the SSPs and SPs are to identify suitable routes for transporting the bodies, identify cemeteries for burials and prepare a list of staff to be assigned tasks pertaining to the burials of those killed by the coronavirus. He has further instructed them to identify the means for shifting the bodies from hospitals to cemeteries and present details about the cemeteries and grave-diggers selected for the burials.

Moreover, the police will also take on board religious scholars on the matter, in order to prevent any religious and sectarian conflicts.

The SPs and SSPs have been directed to devise and submit the SOPs within two days for review by Mahar.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 28^th, 2020.