• Earlier, power was limited to deputy commissioners and assistant commissioners.
• SHO can take action against violations in offices, industries, and stores.
• Powers granted under the Sindh Epidemic Act of 2014.

The Sindh Ministry of Interior issued a notice on Monday that the station staff (SHO) in Sindh can now take action against people who violate the standard operating procedures (SOP) for the coronavirus.

In the revised notice, the Ministry of the Interior stated that police inspectors can take action against those who violate SOPs in offices, industries, and shops.

The notice stated that the police had been allowed to take action in accordance with Article 3(1) of the Sindh Epidemiological Law of 2014.

Earlier, these powers were limited to deputy commissioners and assistant commissioners.

“In addition to deputy commissioners, assistant commissioners, labor officials, and law enforcement agency personnel no less than the level of sheriff (or other LEA equivalent), other deputy commissioners, Mukhtiarkars, and police officers are also authorized according to the 2014 Sindh epidemic Section 3(1) of the Sickness Act (Sindh Act No. 7 of 2015), to take any legal action for any violation of this (original/revised) order or the instructions/notifications issued under the order, including under the Pakistan Penal Code 1860 Article 188 of the year,” it said.

This development occurred after the Sindh provincial government implemented province-wide restrictions to contain the coronavirus after a surge in cases caused by the Delta variant.