Home dept issues new orders for imports and exports amid COVID-19 lockdown

The Sindh home department, on the instructions of the provincial government, has issued a new policy for the import and export business.

The notification, titled ‘Order and Decisions of Import and Export Committee, reads, “In pursuance of the Government of Sindh notification COVID-19/Committee/2020 dated March 24, 2020 and April 8, 2020, and the committee constituted vide the Home Department, Government of Sindh, notification dated 28th April, 2020, the committee-I examined the requests and applications received from the export-oriented industries in the light of the Home Department Order, wherein such industries were allowed to operate subject to the condition of ensuring adherence to SOPs issued by the Home Department in view of COVID-19 measures.

“Now, therefore, on the recommendations received from the Secretary, Industries and Commerce Department, and Chairman, Committee-I, vide a letter dated 2nd May 2020, the following export-oriented factories and manufacturing units, which are found fulfilling the criteria as per the Order and SOPs referred above, i.e. verification of the export order by TDAP, undertaking by CEO/owner on ensuring arrangements within their premises as per SOPs referred above for COVID-19 prevention, and a list of workers/staff/management who will be present and working in the premises of factory and manufacturing unit during its operation..., are permitted to start their operation (for export- related items) subject to adherence to the SOPs.”

According to the notification, there are about 35 factories and industries that are allowed to operate and they include A.K. Textile F-543, SITE Karachi Permitted to start operations adhering to the SOPs, AL-Azmat D-18, SITE Karachi Permitted to start operations adhering to the SOPs, AMNA APPARELS F-271, SITE Karachi Permitted to start operations adhering to the SOPs, AL-RAHEEM WEAVING F-527, SITE Karachi , ASCO INTERNATIONAL, AFROZE TEXTILE C-8, SITE Superhighway, Karachi, AL-HADI EXPORTS D103A, and SITE Karachi.

“It is clarified that these factories and manufacturing units are bound by the conditions, directions and processes as described in the Home Department Order of even number dated 14th April 2020 and SOPs Corona/SOPs dated 14th April, 2020 respectively.”

The home department’s notification further said: “It is reiterated that the SOPs are put in place with a view to preventing the spread of COVID-19; therefore, it is absolutely necessary that the SOPs are in place before the start of work as per undertaking given. Moreover, in order to ensure timely tracking and tracing in case a positive case is detected, the required particulars of all the staff/workers/ management who would be present in the premises of the factory/manufacturing unit are to be provided. The required details are name, father’s name, designation, CNIC number, residential address, cell number (if any).”

The home department has been issuing notifications and SOPs for how businesses and industries should operate in light of the policies being adopted by the provincial government.

On April 25, the Sindh government had announced detailed standard operating procedures for online business modes of industrial establishments and shops in the province.

The notification issued by the home department reads that in view of the spread of the novel coronavirus and the resulting deaths worldwide, the Sindh government found it necessary to invoke the Sindh Epidemic Diseases Act 2014 and impose restrictions on all trade activities except those related to essential services.

According to the notification, since the government could not ban economic activities for an indefinite period, the need was being felt for facilitating trade and commerce in the province while keeping social distancing and other precautionary measures in place as the pandemic was not.

All the businesses wanting to operate through an online mode will now submit an undertaking that they will adhere to the new SOPs so that the spread of the viral disease can be prevented.

The objective of the new SOPs, according to the notification, is to ensure that the online operations and deliveries of purchase orders are made in a manner that prevents the spread of COVID-19 and such operations are made by trained staff by avoiding social interaction during business activities, contact-less buying and selling, and utilising the internet and mobile order placement and payment services.

The SOPs for e-commerce are applicable to all such owners, proprietors and individuals conducting their businesses online. The notification reads that no exemption will be granted to anyone regarding the SOPs for online businesses.

The general SOPs for any permissible business that were issued earlier on April 14, 2020, shall also apply, to the extent as is applicable, to the online and e-commerce businesses.

The online businesses are allowed to operate from Monday to Thursday between 9am and 3pm. According to the notification, the proprietor or owner has to ensure compliance with the SOPs as well as other applicable directions issued by the government from time to time.

The owners shall provide an undertaking regarding adherence to the SOPs before the start of their online businesses. They will undertake that they shall be responsible for adhering to the SOPs and for all their subordinate staff and workers, and shall provide necessary distancing space, masks, gloves, sanitisers and frequent hand washing facilities at the workplace during the duty hours.

The business owners will also have to submit the list of all their staff with their details such as CNIC, residential address and contact number so that they can be traced in case any of their colleague tests positive. Such undertaking and list of persons is to be provided to the district administration through email that shall be notified by the commissioners or deputy commissioners. A reply to the email will be sent as an acknowledgement of receipt. The email of the Karachi commissioner is commissionerkarachi@gmail.com. The other commissioners may similarly publicise their or their respective DCs’ emails.

The commissioner may further devise a mechanism and issue directions so that the spirit of the SOPs is maintained and no online businesses run in violation of the SOPs. “No separate permission and order is required for start of business after the above documents are submitted to the Commissioner Office on email,” the notification reads.

The owners are required to affix at the entrance of the workplace a copy of such email, receipt of the copy by the designated office, copy of the undertaking and list of staff so that they could be checked and verified by inspection teams. “Submission of improper undertaking or incomplete list of persons engaged in such business shall be construed as violation of the SOPs and shall be liable for action,” the notification reads.