Pak police arrest 33 people in Karachi for not getting COVID-19 jab

Pakistani police have arrested over 30 people in Karachi for not getting themselves vaccinated against COVID-19 or failing to produce vaccination certificates.

The police action followed after the Sindh provincial government expressed displeasure at police inaction against unvaccinated people.

The police on Friday arrested 33 people for failing to show COVID-19 vaccination certificates.

“Police today carried out checks and during the course 33 people were arrested for not possessing vaccination cards,” police spokesperson Shazia Jahan said.

The Sindh government has ordered that people who are not vaccinated can be arrested and fined up to Rs 1 million (10 lakh) on the spot and the recovery for which can be done through attachment of movable or immovable property under the Sindh Epidemic Disease Act, 2014.

Most young people who were arrested during checking said that they did not get vaccinated because they had no ''awareness'' about it, a police officer said.

He said police have started checking COVID-19 vaccination certificates of citizens travelling on major thoroughfares and people visiting markets.

The Sindh government has made it mandatory for people visiting restaurants for indoor or outdoor dining, travelling on public transportation or going to shopping malls to carry vaccination cards with them.