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Karachi, April 24, 2020 (PPI-OT): The Sindh government Friday decided that all the business activities will operate from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm with certain exceptions, however, exception given to milk and dairy shops to operate till 8:00 pm shall be subject to the condition that no sale of Samosa, Pakora, Jilaibi and such other Iftari items shall be permitted. Taraweeh shall be offered at homes and strict compliance of lockdown will also be made for which the police and other law enforcement agencies have been given clear instructions by the chief ministers.
The Sindh home department has issued two notifications which are the following:
The federal government in consultation with provinces, GB, AJK, and ICT at NCC (National Coordination Committee) engaged with the Ulema and the President of Pakistan reached a 20-point agreement on conditionally conducting mandatory congregational prayers / Farz Namaz at mosques keeping in view COVID-19 situation and whereas the Government of Sindh considers that the same requires to be implemented.
Keeping in view the increasing number of COVID-19 cases and based on consultations and inputs from the doctors and experts on the virus as well as per the agreement with Ulema, as referred above, the government hereby directs all concerned that Taraweeh Namaz/Prayers, being not mandatory/Farz Namaz, shall be offered at homes as per sunnah.
This order shall come in force immediately with effect from 23rd April 2020 and shall continue till further orders or till the end of Ramazan. Any person found violating any of the instructions contained in these SOPs shall be liable for action in accordance with law as per section 4 of the Sindh Epidemic Disease Control Act 2014.
Deputy Commissioner, Assistant Commissioner, as well as personnel of Law Enforcement Agencies not below the rank of Inspector Police (or of equivalent rank for other Law Enforcement Agencies), are empowered under Section 3(1) of the said Act to take any legal action on any contravention of this order or directions/notices issued thereunder, including action under Section 188 of Pakistan Penal Code 1860.
In continuation and partial modification of Order of even number dated 14th April, 2020 following specific orders are issued for the month of Ramazan. All the ban/restrictions and exceptions notified earlier shall continue. Restriction on timings for coming out of homes from 5:00 pm to 8:00 am with the exceptions already given in the order dated 14th April 2020 shall continue.
Business activities: Businesses as allowed from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm for permissible activities with certain exceptions as per the order of 14th April 2020, shall continue. However, exception given to milk and dairy shops to operate till 8 pm shall be subject to condition that no sale of Samosa, Pakora, jalaibi and such other iftari items shall be permitted.
In view of Covid-19 situation the sale of Iftar items like Samosa, Pakora, jalebi, fruit-chat, and such traditional iftar items sold before and around Iftar time usually seen with the increased gathering of customers shall not be allowed in any form at any place. These items may, however, be provided at homes through Home delivery service as per already issued SOPs. Ehteram-e-Ramzan Ordinance shall be strictly enforced.
Taraweeh: Taraweeh should be performed at Home as per the order of the government issued on Thursday. Restaurants may operate for home delivery only and no take-away or customer dining/ service shall be allowed. Home delivery timings for cooked food shall be from 5 pm to 10 pm only. No delivery at other times is permissible. The same timings shall strictly apply to drive through outlets but no take away from any restaurant/ shop etc. is allowed.
Any person/owner/manager engaged in any permissible activity/ operation found violating any of the instructions contained in this order shall be liable for action in accordance with law as per section 4 of Sindh Epidemic Disease Control Act 2014 as well as any other applicable law.
Any business unit/ shop/ store/ manufacturing or non-manufacturing unit found/reported violating the above instructions/Standard of Operation Procedures, shall have the permission given to them during Covid-19 emergency suspended immediately and such workplaces may be closed.
For more information, contact:
Sindh Information and Archives Department
Government of Sindh
95-Sindh Secretariat 4-B, Karachi, Pakistan
Tel: +92-21-99204423, +92-21-99204401
Email: pressinformationzubair@gmail.com
Website: http://sindhinformation.gos.pk