Lockdown 2021 Diaries: 9th (Last) Day – Ineffective follow up of SOPs

Today was the last day of the COVID-19 lockdown in Sindh province and Sunday was a closed day in Karachi.

If we review this span of lockdown, it remained ineffective as the number of positive cases in Karachi could not come down below 20 per cent. Similarly, there was a rise in cases in Hyderabad as well.

According to official statistics, 1,655 new coronavirus cases and 26 deaths were reported in Sindh during the last 24 hours on Sindh.

A chief minister’s office handout issued stated that during 24 hours, a total of 17,625 tests were conducted and the positivity rate remained at 20 per cent.

Despite the closure of markets and big departmental stores in major cities, especially in Karachi, people continued to avoid following SOPs including warning masks at public places and keeping social distancing.

As there was no ban on every type of inter and intra-city transport people could have been seen commuting by sitting closely in public transport vehicles. The biggest city of Pakistan does not have any public transport system leaves along with mass transit, so people are compelled to use Ching-chi rickshaws (which accommodate 8 persons – six on two seats at the back and two seats with the driver).

People continue to travel in these types of public transport vehicles and there was a blatant violation of SOPs in all vehicles.

This time the government kept closing down the big marts and departmental stores like Metro, Bin Hashim, Al-Jadeed etc. despite the fact in that last year’s lockdown they remained open with strict SOPs. But there was a rush at the department stores and vendors of fruits and vegetables. The medical stores, meat shops, bakeries and Tandoors remained open and people violated SOP thereby not keeping social distancing and avoiding wearing masks.

Meanwhile, the Sindh government announced on Sunday new COVID-19 standard operating procedures that will remain in effect from August 9 to Aug 31, relaxing some of the restrictions as its partial lockdown comes to an end. They include:

• Markets and businesses to function until 8pm, except essential services
• Indoor dining to remain banned. Outdoor dining (till 10pm), takeaway and delivery will be allowed
• Friday and Sunday are to be observed as closed days
• Indoor weddings will be banned; outdoor weddings will be allowed with a maximum of 300 guests until 10pm
• Shrines and cinemas to remain closed
• Indoor gyms to be allowed for vaccinated individuals only
• Offices and public transport to operate at 50 per cent capacity
• District administrations may impose broader lockdowns in specific areas based on the risk.

Lockdown 2021 Diaries: 8th Day – NCOC announces end of Sindh's lockdown from Monday

After a marathon session with the government, the National Command Operation Centre (NCOC) decided to end the 10-day partial “lockdown” in Sindh on Monday, August 9, 2021.

Certain restrictions and SOPs, however, will remain enacted after the culmination of the lockdown, which received severe criticism from federal government coalition partners PTI and MQM-P. Traders' bodies and industrialists also censured the provincial government on the lockdown issue.

Despite the fact there is no significant decline in COVID-19-positive cases in major cities like Karachi and Hyderabad, the provincial government was forced to take a decision in consultation with the NCOC.

At least 1,827 new coronavirus cases were reported in Sindh during the last 24 hours on Saturday with 21 deaths. A total of 15,405 tests were conducted in Sindh.

At a meeting in Karachi, the NCOC decided that the non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) issued by the NCOC for the top 13 cities with high disease prevalence, including Karachi and Hyderabad, will be enforced.

Then smart Lockdowns in high disease prevalence areas will also be enforced to curtail the disease spread of COVID-19, a statement issued by NCOC said.

Meanwhile, the newly appointed Administrator of KMC Barrister Murtaza Wahab inaugurated a COVID Vaccination Centre at Karachi Press Club on Saturday.

Lockdown 2021 Diaries: 7th Day - ADB support for vaccination

After news about the shortage of vaccines in Karachi and other parts of the country, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) announced the approval of a $500 million loan to help Pakistan procure coronavirus vaccines.

This amount is in addition to the funding provided by the World Bank, IMF and other donors previously.

According to Gulf News, the ADP project will support Pakistan’s national vaccination plan by helping to procure and deliver an estimated 39.8 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine, safety boxes, and syringes.

Earlier, the World Bank said it would reallocate $150 million to Pakistan for the procurement of the vaccines.

Despite vaccine supply constraints globally, the Government of Pakistan has procured and administered more than 35 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines. With a population of over r220 million, Pakistan has mainly relied on vaccines imported from China including Sinopharm, CanSino and Sinovac. Pakistan has also received around 8 million vaccine doses through the COVAX facility including AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Moderna.

Nearly 7.2 million Pakistanis have been fully vaccinated and more than 28 million have received one dose as of August 6.

Meanwhile, it was the seventh day of lockdown in Sindh on Friday as the province reported 2,170 new cases of COVID-19. 42 more patients lost their lives due to the virus and 18,223 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours, reporting a positivity rate of 11.9 per cent.

Meanwhile, the federal health ministry said there is no shortage of vaccines in the country.

Lockdown 2021 Diaries: 6th Day – Vaccine shortage in Karachi

For the second time, the city’s vaccination centres complained shortage of vaccines on Thursday. A few weeks earlier, the country had witnessed a shortage of vaccines and a sufficient supply of Sinovac and Moderna vaccines had fulfilled the demand. But since the announcement of the lockdown in Sindh a large number of people thronged to the vaccination centres in Karachi and long queues can be witnessed outside the major vaccination centres. To meet the demand the provincial government has increased the number of round-the-clock vaccination centres and deployed mobile vaccination vans.

According to Sindh Health Department, the main vaccine brands like Sinopharm, Sinovac, and AstraZeneca are short in the city, as thousands of people have thronged at vaccination centres i the city since morning.

The shortage is reported from the largest vaccination centre at Karachi Expo Centre as well as other important centres like Dow Ojha Hospital, and Sindh Government Children’s Hospital. The supplies to vaccination centres at New Karachi, Liaquatabad, and Lyari have been suspended.

Most of the vaccination centres are not providing the first dose of Sinopharm, Sinovac, and AstraZeneca whereas only a second jab is provided whose dates are due.

Meanwhile, the provincial health department claimed that 12 mobile vaccination units have been deployed in six districts of Karachi to ensure maximum vaccination to the people. The officials believe that it may take a couple of days to receive a fresh supply of vaccines in the city.

The NCOC statistics indicated the death of 60 more people due to COVID-19 during the last 24 hours in Pakistan. In Sindh 2,315 new coronavirus cases and 28 more deaths were reported. A total of 16,9537 coronavirus tests were conducted in the province in the last 24 hours.

According to reports, the number of COVID-19 cases is on the rise in the second largest city of Sindh – Hyderabad.

Lockdown 2021 Diaries: 5th Day – Cases surge in Hyderabad

Business activities in Karachi remained suspended in Sindh except for essential items shops, like groceries and medical stores.

The war of words between Sindh’s ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and opposition political parties like PTI, Jamat Islami and MQM-P continued. Karachi Ameer of JI Hafiz Naimur Rahman criticised the provincial government’s decision to give powers to Police officers to impose lockdown SOPs. Earlier, those powers had vested to Assistant Commissioners or magistrates.

The federal education minister said in a press conference that federal government schools continue to run with 50 per cent attendance, whereas there will be no exams for compulsory subjects, while students would only take exams for elective subjects.  marks acquired by students in elective subjects would proportionately be given in compulsory subjects, along with an additional of 5 per cent.

Schools in Sindh will remain closed till August 8, the provincial education minister Saeed Ghani said in Karachi. The remaining intermediate exams in Sindh will take place after the coronavirus situation gets better, he stated.

According to the NCOC statistics, there is a letup in Coronavirus positive cases in two major cities – Karachi and Hyderabad. The positivity ratio in Hyderabad has touched 24 per cent, which is alarming, whereas this ratio in Karachi has hovered around 23 per cent for many days. Despite the lockdown, this positive ratio is not receding.

Rush is still being witnessed at the COVID-19 vaccination centres across the city. The provincial government has started operating mobile vaccination vans in different parts of the city.

The official figure indicated a total of 2,438 new cases emerged as 19,427 COVID-19 tests were conducted. Overall positivity of cases in the entire province remained at 12.5 per cent.

Lockdown 2021 Diaries: 3rd Day – No Respite to Public

It seems the provincial government has further tightened the lockdown restrictions as the main departmental stores in Gulistan-e-Jauhar and Gulshan-e-Iqbal Karachi remained shut down on 3rd day of the partial lockdown in Sindh.

Even one of the major cash-and-carry -cum- departmental store Metro remained closed down despite the fact it remained open during the first complete lockdown in 2020. The security guards posted outside Metro said it will remain closed till the end of the lockdown.

Only Street grocery stores, bakeries and medical stores are opened. Those medical stores, which are also selling grocery or general items have closed that section with curtains. For example, the famous Seven86 medicos at Jauhar Chowrangi is opened but it is selling only medicines. 

Due to the closure of the major stores, where a majority of people do shopping due to discounted rates, families feel frustrated in these localities.

Despite the announcement of 11 new round-the-clock vaccination centres in the metropolis, a large number of people were visiting the Expo Centre’s largest vaccination point in the city. Today the government has deployed Rangers and Army personnel to discipline the long queues at Expo Centre. According to reports, a similar rush is witnessed on other major vaccination centres including JPMC, Civil Hospital and Khalid Dina Hall in district South. Meanwhile, the traders’ bodies demanded the government to set up vaccination centres in major shopping points in the city.

The federal government-run National Command Operation Centre (NCOC) after a weekly meeting in Islamabad on Monday announced further restrictions for other cities of the country including, early closure of markets, resumption of 50 per cent work-from-home policy in government and private offices, operation of public transport with 50 per cent occupancy, two-day holidays in a week, restriction of indoor dining and marriage halls etc.

Sindh reported 1,847 new COVID-19 cases during the last 24 hours (down from 2,549 yesterday). Moreover, 36 deaths were reported by bringing the total deaths to 6,057. In Sindh, a total of 13,107 Covid-19 tests were conducted in the province.

Meanwhile, the district administration in Hyderabad has started a survey of vaccinated people in the district to ascertain the vaccination situation.

 

Lockdown 2021 Diaries: 2nd Day - Further Relaxation

Despite being a weekly holiday, Sunday remained quite calm as people remained at home on the second day of the 10-day COVID-19-related partial lockdown in Sindh. All markets remain closed on Sundays and only weekly make-shift bazaars are organized on weekends in different parts of the city. Those Bachat Bazaars were not organized this Sunday.

There were reports of heavy rush at the Karachi’s Expo Centre’s vaccination centre since morning, however, it remained operational throughout the day without any intervals. No untoward incident happened in this round-the-clock largest COVID-19 vaccination centre in Karachi.

The provincial government announced to open 11 more round-the-clock vaccination centres in the government hospitals in six districts of Karachi. These centres would be located at Dow Ojha Hospital in the East district; Khaliqdina Hall, JPMC and Lyari General Hospital in the South district; Children Hospital, SG Hospital New Karachi, SG Hospital Liaquatabad in the Central District; Sindh Government Qatar Hospital in the West district; SG Hospital Murad Memon Goth in Malir district; and SG Hospital Saudabad in Korangi district.

Keeping in view the traditional inefficiency of the provincial government’s machinery, it is really hard to believe that these new 24/7 centres would be functional from the first day for 24-hour service. Except for Expo Centre, the other government-run vaccination centres in the city often function between 9 am to 5 pm on weekdays. According to a report, the government is setting up new counters at NED University’s grounds. The mobile vaccination vans are also been sent to different localities in the city.

The poor performance of the health authorities in Sindh can be gauged from the fact that it has recently established a state-of-the-art new COVID-19 isolation/treatment centre at KMC’s Abbasi Shaheed Hospital in Nazimabad, but its healthcare staff including doctors held a protest demonstration against the non-availability of PPEs and other facilities to them. Karachi’s Administrator had recently inaugurated the intensive care centre.

Pl. click to watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2ocJRtY7_k

The federal government continued its criticism of the Sindh government’s decision of imposing partial lockdown on the entire province instead of clamping smart lockdowns in selected areas. The Prime Minister in his public address on phone also criticized the provincial government’s decision. “We had a small problem between the federal government and Sindh,” the PM admitted. “Sindh government wanted to impose a lockdown, which is the correct decision and will curb the spread of the virus. But on the other hand, the thing to see is that will we be able to save the economy from the lockdown? Then there is the issue of hunger … the daily wage earners and especially the poor section of our society … how will they make ends meet during the lockdown?”

A high-level meeting of NCOC would be held in Islamabad on Monday to further discuss the pandemic situation.

According to daily statistics of the National Command Operation Centre, 62 people lost their lives in Pakistan during 24 hours on Sunday with 5,026 new cases in the country. Sindh has reported 2,549 new coronavirus cases; 20 more people lost their lives, with the death toll rising to 6,021 in the province.

A total of 18,618 Covid-19 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours, while 368 more patients recovered from the disease.

Feature photo: Courtesy dawn.com website (Source: https://www.dawn.com/news/1638177/pakistan-reports-more-than-5000-daily-cases-for-first-time-since-april)

Lockdown 2021 Diaries: First Day of chaos

The first day of the “partial lockdown” in Sindh was a panic day at least in Karachi. There was a hue and cry of businessmen in the media on the closure of markets and non-export industries and those still un-vaccinated people had thronged to vaccination centres to get their jabs to avoid any harassment by police for not producing vaccination cards.

Incidentally, there was the 2nd jab date for my son so we have to go to the Arts Council vaccination centre for the vaccination. At Rashid Minhas Road and then Shara-e-Faisal, there was normal-day traffic and jams at one or two places as usual and we were asking each other where these people were going in cars and motorcycles as offices and markets are closed. At least at 2 places, the police had erected barricades, which caused jams and slowdown of the traffic at Shara-e-Faisal.  

Outside Arts Council, we realized that there would be a rush inside as a large number of cars were parked outside the building. And that was the fact. An unusual number of people were standing in queues at the registration desks on the terrace.

Thank God, due to a better arrangement by the management of the Arts Council of Pakistan, Karachi, we went through the entire process and came out within one and a half hours.

But the situation at the largest vaccination centre of the city, Expo Centre was even worse. The media reported a large number of people had gathered there to get themselves vaccinated since early in the morning and due to the rush some people had broken the entry glass door, therefore, the vaccination process was stopped for many hours. There was also a report of a strike by the staff as they were not paid salaries for many months. I received a live report from Expo Centre as a brother of mine also went to get his first job and was standing outside the main hall in s long queue.

There was a report in the media that the government’s computer system to record the vaccination has also crashed due to heavy rush.

Even though the government had allowed the opening of grocery shops, police forcibly closed down major departmental stores in my area (Gulistan-e-Jauhar). I was buying some groceries at Al-Jadeed departmental store at main University Road, and the management suddenly started making announcements to vacate the store as soon as possible. The entry and exit gate shutters were pulled down in a panic as a Police officer at a petrol van told me that there was a violation of SPOs in the store so the Assistant Commissioner ordered to close it down. Two other major stores in the area – Bin Hashim and Bin Safeer were also closed down in the afternoon (much before 6 pm).

Sindh government on Friday (July 30) announced a “partial lockdown” in the entire province effective from July 31 till August 9 as COVID-19 cases have shot up to around 30% in a single day in Karachi city alone. Export-related manufacturing industries, medical stores, bakeries and grocery shops were allowed to open in specified times. Later, the provincial government amended the notification twice and announced further relaxed conditions like it allowed inter-provincial transport movement and plying of rickshaws and other passenger transport within the city limits by following standard operating procedures (SOPs). It also lifted a ban on pillion riding on motorcycles. 

Local businessmen’s bodies, the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Anjuman-e-Tajran rejected the closure of the business. Even the federal government and its ruling party Pakistan Tahrik-e-Insaf severely criticised the Sindh government for closing down the businesses to prevent the spread of the Delta variant of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Sindh, especially in Karachi.

Sindh government spokesman Murtaza Wahab and later PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari censured the federal government for its unrealistic criticism of the Sindh government on COVID-19 lockdown.

Federal government ministers Asad Umer, Fawad Chaudhry and Shaikh Rasheed opposed the lockdown and Asad Umer said the lockdown in India has pushed the economy of India on a backtrack and even it went down by 7% and still has not recovered. So the only solution is a smart lockdown. They said instead the provincial government had to focus on the implementation of SOPs. On the other hand, the Sindh government said it had no option but to impose restrictions to control the spread of the pandemic variant Delta. Murtaza Wahab emphasized the need for continuous engagement in dialogue with the federal government

When will Thatta Museum be opened?

An almost complete edifice and some replicas inside the “under construction” Thatta Museum are gathering dust as no one knows when it will be completed and opened to the general public.

One can still visit the brand new “City Museum Thatta” as an employee of the provincial Directorate of Archaeology, the only official, who is acting as a curator can welcome and show you the incomplete museum. He told me he also did not know about the fate of the museum.

“Due to the COVID-19 lockdown the work on finishing the inside remains unfinished,” the official said adding that the head office in Hyderabad can tell when it will be opened formally.

A brainchild of a veteran archaeologist Dr. Kaleem Lashari, the Thatta Museum is an attempt to depict the history and culture of the historic city since the invasion by Arabs of Sindh in 712 AD. It has placed some replicas of coins, clay potteries and dresses of ancient times.

A model of a carpenter’s shop with a model/sculpture and original utensils are placed at the entrance hall and a big boat depicting the love story Noori Jam Tamachi tale of Keenjhar lake is placed at the main hall. Some ancient manuscripts of the Holy Quran and religious books would be placed in viewers’ windows. Grave stones with inscriptions, Kaashi (glazed tiles) and carpet weaving loom can also be seen.

Pictures with profiles of Thatta rulers during the period of Mughals, Tarkhans, and Samas periods. Profiles of some major personalities like Doleh Darya Khan, and Makhdoom Muhammad Hashim Thattvi are on display.

According to the curator, the aim of setting up a separate museum in Thatta city was to educate people about the rich culture, traditions and history of this ancient city, which was once famous for religious educational institutions, trade and rich culture.

Necropolis of Malki, the largest graveyard of Pakistan is located juxtapose to the museum.

Another major museum in the district is also located in Bhambhor, which is an ancient city famous for famous folklore of Sasui Punhoo. The first mosque of Pakistan was said to be found here which was discovered from the remains of Bhambhor.

Heavy rains expose Sindh, City governments' inefficiency

Karachi city has been experiencing the worst-ever breakdown of civic utilities as the city received heavy Monsoon downpours in different areas on two consecutive days (Sunday and Monday). At least five people lost their lives due to electrocution in Karachi on Sunday.

Many areas in Malir, district East received heavy rains on Sunday as the met office recorded maximum rainfall of 86.2 millimetres (mm), or 3.3 inches, in the Gulshan-i-Hadeed area. Other areas, which received heavy included University Road,/Gulistan-i-Jauhar (80.8 mm), North Karachi (61.9 mm), Keamari (50.8 mm), Jinnah Terminal (58 mm), Saddar (51 mm), Pahalwan Goth (49.6 mm), PAF Base Faisal (49.2 mm), Nazimabad (28 mm), PAF Base Masroor and Landhi (23 mm).

With the first drop of the rain, power in many areas was shut down, which was restored after many hours.

On Monday the worst affected areas by the rain were in districts Central and West. Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Gulshan-e-Iqbal in district East also received heavy downpours on Monday.

This video was shared on social media (WhatsApp) by a journalist

Many areas in Orangi Town area were badly affected as water entered into homes due to rain as well as overflowing of the rain drains.

Residents have shared videos of North Karachi where gushing rainwater was even pushing vehicles and many cars and motorcycles can be seen floating on the water.

In Orangi area volunteers rescued dozens of students from a Madressah, where water from a Nallah (rain drain) had overflowed and entered into the premises of the religious school.

Reports of submerging of low-lying areas in Gulshan-e-Iqbal and Gulistan-e-Jauhar caused agony for the residents.

No government authorities were seen on roads to rescue people. For example in Orangi, volunteers of a religious charity organisation rescued children from the Madressah. The city government of Karachi had failed to maintain a drainage system in the city. The floodwater drains were not cleaned on the time and the provincial Sindh government and Karachi Metropolitan Corporation or City government were seen at the loggers’ heads to blame each other for their failure to maintain the sewerage system. The City Mayor, whose tenure is about to end on August 2, 2020, remained off the scene during the two days’ devastating rains.

Another stoning of a Sindhi woman

The social media was filled with posts of the stoning of a married woman in Jamshoro district last week and a postmortem of the lady has revealed a high degree of torture and molestation of the victim. Police have already arrested a husband and some relatives of the woman.

This was the second case of stoning in recent history as a few months back a case of the stoning of a girl was reported in Johi, Dadu district, which was hushed by the Police under a high degree of pressure from influential Rind tribe chieftains who were also supported by a media magnate belonging to the same tribe. An HRCP (Human Rights Commission of Pakistan) fact-finding mission also tried to cover up the stoning incident.

Initially, the Johi police had arrested the father, mother and a prayer leader in the case of stoning to 10-year old Gul Sama, but they were later freed under the pressure from local influential people.

A reporter from a media house based in Karachi had also faced outrage from the Rind tribe people as their chieftain managed to hold several protest demonstrations against the said reporter in different cities including in Dadu and Karachi. The reporter and his family members received threats from the local landlords and his supporters.

The new incident of stoning is feared to face the same fate as the tribal influential people and some sections in the establishment do not want a spread of the news about the centuries-old tribal custom of stoning in the media.

A recent statement by Women Action Forum has demanded the provincial Sindh government to send the case to the Anti-Terrorism court.

The women's rights group WAF has expressed serious concern over a post-mortem report of the woman, Wazeeran Chhachhar. The WAF said that this case had exposed the incompetence of all institutions supposed to enforce the law and society`s indifferent attitude towards women. It said that the victim`s body had clear marks of violence all over and according to the woman who gave a funerary bath to the victim, there were torture marks on her body also.

It said that according to a post-mortem report, Waseeran had also offered resistance and her nails were also filled with dust.

The cold-blooded murder of a lady was first reported on social media, and then local and foreign press took it. On this, the Chairperson of the Sindh Commission on Status of Women Ms. Nuzhat Shireen also visited the place near Sann.

Although police have registered a case against the woman’s husband, his brother and another relative. Father the victim woman is the complainant in the case. Police have also arrested the husband and his brother who confessed to torturing her.

According to a report published in Arab News it was a case of a family dispute of “Watta Satta”, which literally means “to give and take (relationship)”.

But it is not simply a family feud as the woman was brutally tortured and the post-mortem report has confirmed it. The WAF has feared that the case might be spoiled due to a lack of interest from the police.

Mafias run Pakistani economy: Dr. Kaiser Bengali

According to Dr. Kaiser Bengali, an eminent economist Pakistani economy is mostly run by mafias, who often join politics and the government to get “legal benefits.”

These mafias enjoy monopoly profits, which they use to further strengthen their political designs.

Dr. Bengali, who remained Advisor to the past governments in Sindh, Balochistan and Centre, while speaking at an online post-budget 2020-21 webinar on Sunday said sugar, wheat flour, fertilizer and paper industries are minting money by availing various subsidies and incentives in the form of tax exemptions. Most of the owners of these industries are either in the government or they are relatives of the ministers.

“You have heard about the sugar scandal and a good thing has happened that an inquiry report has been made public, which exposed how the sugar mafia is looting the national wealth by adopting all “legal procedures.”

Describing further, Dr. Bengali said the sugar mafia provides wrong figures and manipulates the situation for their benefit. First, they export sugar and claim subsidies on exports then create a shortage in the country to raise its prices. These sugar mill owners are mostly politicians, who often make policies for their benefit. Sugar mills are not paying properly costs to sugarcane growers and swindle taxes like FED and GST through manipulation.

Flour mills receive wheat from the government’s procured stocks at subsidised rates. The main aim of this incentive is that they would supply flour at lower rates. In fact, these mills purchase wheat from the open market and then sell flour at higher by mixing the rates. “They put the subsidy on wheat in their pockets and sell flour at higher rates,” he said.

In Pakistan, three paper mills have created a cartel, which has made many publishing houses bankrupt as they sell paper at higher rates. “Now the situation is such that most of the curricular books, even in Urdu are published and imported directly from China and Indonesia as there is no import duty on published books. The paper mafia is so powerful that every year the government announces to change the duty structure, but it always fails to do so.

He said most of the fertilizer manufacturing units are owned by the Military subsidiaries in Pakistan, which receive Sui (natural) gas at very cheaper rates, almost free, and also receive subsidies on the selling of fertilizer to growers.

It is a matter of fact that more than 60 per cent of fertilizer is being used by Punjab, whereas Sindh consumes only 20 per cent. The Sui gas-producing province Balochistan consumes only 4 per cent of the fertilizer, thus most of the subsidy goes to Punjab at the cost of smaller provinces like Balochistan and Sindh that produce the natural gas.

“We have not seen the reverse transfer of the benefit from Punjab to Balochistan,” he said adding that Punjab does not provide any subsidy to Balochistan while supplying wheat the people of Balochistan have to purchase wheat at the market rates.

Watch the entire speech: Click here

ليبر ڪالونيون يا ايمرجنسي ڪيمپون؟

سنڌ حڪومت وڏي فخر سان اعلان ڪيو آهي، ته هن چين ۾ 10 ڏينهن اندر قائم ٿيل ڪرونا ڪيمپ کان به تمام ٿوري وقت ۾ دنيا جي سڀ کان وڏي ڪرونا جي وبا جي علاج ۽ تصديق ٿيل مريضن کي ڌار رکڻ لاءِ 2048 بسترن تي ٻڌل هڪ اسپتال سکر ۾ قائم ڪري ورتي آهي

ايران کان آيل سنڌ سان تعلق رکندڙزيارت لاءِ ويل پانڌيئڙن کي شروع ۾ وفاقي سرڪار طرفان بلوچستان جي تفتان بارڊر وٽ قائم شده ڪرونا جي قرطينيا ڪيمپ ۾ رکيو ويو هئو، جن کي 14 ڏينهن گذرڻ بعد سنڌ ۾ موڪليو ويو هئو. پر سکر ۾ انهن جي ٻيهر ٽيسٽ ڪئي وئي جنهن مان انهن جي هڪ وڏي انگ کي ڪرونا وائرس جي بيماري ظاهر ٿي. سنڌ حڪومت موجب ايران کان آيلن سميت ڪل 88 ڪرونا کان متاثر ماڻهو ظاهر ٿيا آهن. انهن مان اڪثريت کي سکر جي ان اسپتال ۾ رکيو ويو آهي. جڏهن ته ڪجھ اهڙا مريض ڪراچي جي مختلف سرڪاري اسپتالن ۾ قائم اڪيلائي وارڊن ۾ داخل ڪيا ويا آهن

سکر جي ان اڪيلائي وارن وارڊن تي ٻڌل اسپتال بابت تفصيل پڙهڻ کان پوءِ معلوم ٿيو ته اها ايمرجنسي اسپتال ويجھڙ ۾ مڪمل ٿيل 1000 فليٽن تي ٻڌل ليبرڪالوني ۾ قائم ڪئي وئي آهي، جنهن ۾ موجود فليٽ مزدورن کي اڃا تائين الاٽ نه ٿي سگھيا آهن

اهڙي اسپتال قائم ڪرڻ تي بظاهرهڪ تمام سٺو قدم آهي، پر ايترن بسترن ۽ وينٽيليٽرن کي هلائڻ ۽ سنڀالن لاءِ تمام گھڻي تعداد ۾ عملو ۽ ڊاڪٽرکپندا، جيڪي ڪٿان ايندا؟ اهوهڪ اهم سوال آهي جنهن جي جواب جي اڃا خبر ڪانهي

سنڌ ۾ مختلف علائقن ۾ قائم ليبر ڪالونيون ڪيتري عرصي کان مڪمل ٿيل آهي، مگر ڪن اڻ ڄاڻايل سببن جي ڪري مزدورن جي حوالي نه ٿي سگھيون آهن. اهي ڪالونيون ماضي ۾ پڻ امدادي ڪيمپن طور استعمال ٿينديون رهن ٿيون. صوبائي ليبر اينڊ هيومين ريسورسز کاتو ورڪرز ويلفيئر فنڊ مان اهي ليبر ڪالوني جوڙائيندو آهي، جيڪي کاتي سان رجسٽر ٿيل مزدورن ۾ قرعي اندازي وسيلي ڏنيون وينديون آهن. سرڪار ليبر ڪالونين ۾ گھر ڏيڻ لاءِ اخبارن ۾ اشتهار ڏيندي آهي

سن 2010 جي مها ٻوڏ دوران اتر سنڌ جي ڪيترن ئي ضلعن مان ٻوڏ متاثر سنڌ جي وڏن شهرن جهڙوڪ ڪراچي ۽ حيدرآباد ۾ آندا ويا هئا ۽ کين صوبائي سرڪار طرفان سرڪاري زمينن تي قائم ڪيمپن ۾ رهايو ويو هئو. ڪراچي ۾ به ٻوڏ متاثرين جو هڪ وڏو انگ آيو هئو، جن کي شهر جي مختلف علائقن ۾ قائم سرڪاري ڪيمپن ۾ ترسايو ويو. ڪجھ ٻوڏ متاثر سپر هاءِ وي ڀرسان ءِ ڪجھ ٻين علائقن ۾ قائم پرائيويٽ ڪمپن ۾ پڻ ترسيا هئا جتي ڪجھ خيراتي ادارن سندن امداد ڪئي هئي

ٻوڏ متاثرين جو هڪ وڏو انگ (تقريبا 10،000) گڏاپ ٽائون ۾ قائم هڪ سرڪاري ليبرڪالوني ۾ پڻ ترسايو ويوهئو. گلشن معمار ڀرسان قائم ان ليبر اسڪائر ۾ 1000 کن فليٽ آهن. توڙي جو اها ڪالوني ان وقت به مڪمل هئي پر ان ۾ موجود فليٽ ڪنهن به مزدور کي اڃا الاٽ ڪونه ڪيا ويا هئا

اهي ٻوڏ متاثر ڊسمبر 2016 تائين ان ڪيمپ ۾ رهيا پر پوءِ کين زوري اتان اٿاريو ويو، چاڪاڻ ته ليبر ڊپارٽمينٽ وارن کي خوف ورائي ويوهئو ته اهي ٻوڏ متاثر انهن فليٽن تي مستقل قبضو نه ڪري ويهن

پر ايتروعرصو گذرڻ جي باوجود ليبر ڪالوني گڏاپ جا اهي فليٽ اڃا تائين خالي پيا آهن. شايد ڪنهن ٻي آفت جي انتظار ۾ آهن

Martyred Queen of Sindhis!

She was not a traditional queen, but still, she is called “Queen of Sindh”, even after her assassination, Sindhi people still call Benazir Bhutto as “Shaheed Rani” or martyred queen in love and respect. They have not forgotten her even after the passage of 12 years and people still remember her with wet eyes.

Another popular slogan famous in Sindh was: “ Zindah hai Bhutto Zindah Hai” (Bhutto is still alive), which started after the execution of former Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. This is the main reason that despite high-level pre- and post-election engineering by the notorious “establishment” in every election, Sindhis always give vote for Pakistan People’s Party.

The PPP has been making governments in Sindh province after three consecutive elections since 2008. Even though many major political parties including Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Tahrik-e-Insaf (PTI) (the current ruling party) have been contesting from Sindh, Sindhis have always preferred PPP in the love of its past leaders. It is the main reason that Asif Ali Zardari, the spouse of Benazir Bhutto has publicly announced the name change of his only son Bilawal as Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

It is also a matter of the fact that there is no alternative political party in Sindh province, which can appeal to Sindhi voters, despite a record corruption and non-spending of budgets on the development of the backward areas of the province. Many PPP leaders are facing corruption charges in NAB and other anti-graft courts.

A Bloody Year

The 2007 year was full of events, which are still very clear in my mind. There was a lot of political upheaval in Pakistan, after a long military dictatorship of General Pervaiz Musharraf since the 12^th October 1999 military coup d’état. Military dictatorship was first challenged by then Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry when the dictator and his other Generals asked Chaudhry to resign and he refused. The lawyers of the country announced support for Justice Chaudhry and launched the famous lawyers’ movement, which ultimately resulted in the restoration of the judiciary in 2008 and overall democracy in the country.

In the meantime, former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto announced to return to the country despite a reported deal under the so-called National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) pact with the dictator General Pervaiz Musharraf, as she had said to be promised not to come back to contest the General Elections announced by the government in early 2008.

On her return to Karachi on 18^th October 2007, a deadly bomb blast occurred near Karsaz at her procession caravan heading towards Mazar of Quaid-e- Azam resulted in the deaths of over 170 workers of the Pakistan People’s Party, however, Benazir remained unhurt. After the incident, Benazir Bhutto blamed the government for the attack and named three close aides of General Pervaiz Musharraf including his cabinet minister Brig (Retd.) Aijaz Shah, a former head of the spy agency ISI Major General (Retd.) Hameed Gul and Chaudhry Pervaiz Ellah, a former Chief Minister of Punjab province and central leader of the pro-Musharraf Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid-e-Azam).

The following events in 2007 were more tragic and deadly as Benazir Bhutto was assassinated in a shooting and bomb blast incident in Rawalpindi just after she was coming back from an election rally at Liaqat Bagh on the 27^th of December. Elections were to be held on 8th January 2008 but were postponed till 18^th February after her assassination.

The entire country was engulfed in fire as protesting people set ablaze vehicles on roads in the cities and highways and burnt railway bogies at the main tracks. Pakistan railway reportedly suffered a loss of over Rs. 6 billion as 35 locomotives, 139 coaches and 65 stations were burnt, 36 bridges and 27 manned level crossings were damaged, signal and communication systems and tracks besides six tracks machines and cranes in the Karachi and Sukkur divisions of the railways were uprooted, suspending all kinds of rail traffic to and from the Sindh capital for five days. (Reference: daily Dawn, 28 Dec 2008)

Although Benazir Bhutto’s murder case in an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) has been decided in which all five arrested accused belonging to Tahrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) have been exonerated by the trial court and only a couple of police officers have been sentenced to jail terms, who are restored to their jobs after getting bail. The main petition against the Military dictator is still pending at Islamabad High Court and there is no hope for any punishment for the main killers.

After the 2008 elections, PPP succeeds to form a coalition government with support from PML-N, MQM and JUI-F. PPP and PML-N led government forced the dictator General (Retd.) Pervaiz Musharraf to resign from the office of President on a threat of impeachment. PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari was elected President.

The PML-N withdrew its support to the PPP government on insistence to restore the judges as the PPP-led government of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani refused to succumb to their demands. PML-N remained in the opposition for the remaining tenure, even though the PPP government had restored the judiciary.

Unfortunately, 5-year government at the PPP was not able to arrest the killers of Benazir Bhutto even though the government got an investigation done by the UN investigators. Even the Sindh government has not succeeded in nabbing the responsible for the October 18, 2007 bomb blast at Karsaz, despite the fact it is in the power since 2008.

Aftermath riots in Karachi

I still recall that saddest eventful evening when I saw a ticker on the TV screen that Benazir Bhutto was seriously injured in a bomb blast in Rawalpindi. I was about to leave my office in the Clifton area at 5.30 pm on 27^th December 2007 and within a few minutes, another ticker flashed on the screen which stated Benazir is dead. It was really a great shock for everyone in Pakistan.

At that time I used do a part-time job in Daily Times as a sub-editor at its Business desk in the evening. The newspaper’s office was located at I. I. Chundrigar road near MCB’stallest building and my routine route were to go from Clifton via Mai Kolachithen Keamari flyover and Tower.

But on that day I could not reach the Keamari flyover as the entire traffic from the Tower side was coming back on both tracks of the Molvi Tamizuddin Khan (Queen’s) road and a car driver told me that people from Lyari have come out on the roads and closed down the bridge.

I took a U-turn and tried to take the route via PIDC and Shaheen Complex. The roads were full of traffic and eventually, I reached Dawn’s office, but it was almost impossible to enter into I. I. Chundrigar road as the entire thoroughfare was full of cars coming from the tower area, and even a single lane was not available to enter Chundrigar road.

After a wait the traffic started slowly as one track of the road was opened. It was just for passing a car, but even that was disturbed by the motorcycles that were trying to use that single lane with intervals. That one and half kilometre distance were covered in almost half an hour. But entering the building was a gigantic task. I succeeded in taking a U-turn from New Chali and fortunately found a space for a car inside the building. Earlier, it was almost impossible to find a space for a car inside the building, but I was lucky to find one on that day.

I came home at 1.00 am at night but there were horrible scenes on the road. At least two cars and a bank were burnt in my area in Khadda Market (DHA phase-5 Stadium Commercial). For the next three days, the entire market area was closed down and there was a curfew-like situation. There was a shortage of food items in many areas and at last, Rangers were deployed in the markets and the shopkeepers opened their markets.

Dalit Baghri Woman in Sindh raped on charges of stealing tomatoes

A video is viral on social media today, which shows a number of Baghri (Dalit) community women protesting in Wahi Pandi town in Johi taluka (Dadu district) in Sindh against kidnapping and then torture and rape of a young Dalit girl on charges of stealing tomatoes from an agricultural farm of an influential person.

The Sindhi channel KTN reported the incident in which the victim girl along with other women was narrating the ordeal with the girl. They said unknown miscreants attacked their homes and tortured the male members on alleged stealing of tomatoes from their fields. They later kidnapped the girl and tore apart her shirt as well.

These poor Dalits minority communities are experts in agriculture work and in Sindh, most of their women work on the forms for daily wages.

In Pakistan, tomatoes were becoming costlier in recent months due to short of crop production in Sindh and Balochistan due to heavy rains. After imports from Iran, the prices of tomatoes have come down substantially.

Police were not providing any support or security to the victim's family.