Shortage of masks: SHC issues notices to federal, Sindh govts

KARACHI (92 News) – Hearing a plea seeking case regarding public awareness campaign on novel coronavirus and shortage of masks, Sindh High Court (SHC) issued notice to the federal, provincial governments’ and provincial health department. The SHC bench heard a petition seeking public awareness campaign on coronavirus outbreak and crackdown against hoarders of masks and medicines. The court issued notices to the relevant department and summoned reply on March 06. During the hearing, the court asked, “What is the problem when the masks are available in the market. “The prices of medicines for the disease have soared,” the counsel of petitioner replied. In the petition, the petitioner sought a public awareness campaign over the coronavirus disease by the government and other concerned agencies. The petitioner also pleaded for crackdown against the mafia involved in hoarding of surgical masks and its free distribution for safety from the novel coronavirus. The bench adjourned the hearing till March 06. On the other hand, recently the Kharadar police in a raid recovered surgical masks and arrested four persons involved in hoarding of masks after four cases of novel coronavirus reported in Pakistan. In the previous hearing, the court asked that who has said that the masks are mandatory to avoid coronavirus. The court heard plea related to shortage and inflated rates of the surgical masks after surfacing two coronavirus cases in the country. During the hearing, the lawyer of the applicant stated that prices of surgical masks are skyrocketing in the across Sindh, including Karachi, while there is an acute shortage too. “Who said wearing mask is mandatory to get safe from coronavirus”, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar remarked. “Have you not seen the press conference of the doctors in this context, yesterday?,” he asked the lawyer of the applicant. “A panic has been created under the name of coronavirus in Karachi. This new way is being adopted across the city to sell the masks by making the people afraid of the virus,” the judge remarked. The SHC bench observed that masks are available in Karachi after observing a girl wearing mask in the court room. Upon asking, the girl replied, she bought the mask from the city but after facing difficulties.