Three more cops die of Covid-19 in Sindh

Coronavirus death toll among Sindh police officials climbs to 16

KARACHI:

Three more policemen have succumbed to the coronavirus in Sindh, it emerged on Thursday, following which the total number of cops who have died of the contagion in the province increased to 16.

According to a Sindh Police spokesperson, the recent victims of the virus among police officials included Malir complaint centre in-charge SP Shakeel, Special Security Unit (SSU) DSP Ahmad Nawaz and ASI Abdul Rahim.

Among them, SP Shakeel was admitted to hospital on June 19, after being diagnosed with Covid-19, and was last deployed at an Ehsaas Programme centre at the Pakistan Swedish Institute of Technology, Karachi.

He joined the police in November, 1984, as an ASI and was promoted to the post of Malir complaints cell SP in June last year. In between this duration, he served as Rapid Response Force DSP, a sub-divisional officer in Kalakot and Chief Minister's Secretariat complaint cell DSP. He has left behind a widow and four children.

Lauding SP Shakeel for his dedication and hard work, Sindh IGP Mushtaq Ahmed Mahar praised his commitment to his duty and extended condolences to the bereaved family.

Another official who died of the coronavirus, DSP Nawaz, tested positive for Covid-19 on June 17 and succumbed to the disease during treatment on Wednesday.

Born in December 1965, he was recruited to the Sindh Police in September, 1986, as an ASI and was last deployed at Bilawal House in Lahore, as part of the SSU. He has left behind a widow and a son.

Expressing his condolences, Mahar said the DSP had laid down his life in the line of duty.

So far, 1,345 cops in the Sindh Police have been infected by the coronavirus with 90 of them were testing positive over the last two days. Furthermore, of the 16 policemen who have died of the virus, 14 belonged to Karachi and two to Hyderabad.

As many as 961 policemen are being treated for Covid-19, while 370 have recovered from the infection.