720 stores sealed in capital for defying Covid-19 SOPs

District administration says fewer cases are being reported from rural, urban areas

ISLAMABAD:

Over 720 shops were sealed while fines worth over Rs2.13 million were imposed on shop owners over the past three months for defying the standard operating procedures (SOPs) prescribed by the government to prevent the novel coronavirus from spreading.

A report released by the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration on Monday gave an overview of the action taken in the city against those defying the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) guidelines.

It said that apart from the fines imposed, some 167 hotels, 39 workshops and 26 industrial units had been sealed during the past three months for violating the guidelines.

The report added that assistant commissioners while checking prices of essential items in their respective areas, imposed fines worth Rs1.84 million, warning 238 people and lodging first information report (FIR) against 13 people.

At least 12,400 Covid-19 SOP violations recorded during last 24 hours

Talking to APP, IC Deputy Commissioner Hamza Shafqaat said the district administration has been employing all available resources to contain the spread of the virus, with the city registering just 12 new cases in the past 24 hours.

Fewer cases are being reported from all urban and rural areas of the city, he said, adding that strict action would be taken to ensure the implementation of SOPs in the city to keep citizens safe against the pandemic, Shafqaat added.

Inspecting vehicles

Similarly, in actions taken by the Islamabad Transport Authority (ITA), Secretary Kamran Cheema said that they had inspected as many as 2,447 vehicles.

The authority, Cheema said, had issued tickets to 1,552 vehicles after determining they had defied the SOPs.

As many as 95 vehicles were also impounded during this period.

Talking to APP, Cheema said that teams of the ITA were regularly monitoring bus terminals and wagon stands to ensure the implementation of Covid-19 SOPs and action is taken on non-compliance.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 18^th, 2020.