Sindh High Court (SHC) terms that wearing masks to prevent the deadly coronavirus is not mandatory, on Friday during hearing on a case pertaining to increased prices and shortage of masks in Karachi.

During the hearing, the lawyer of the applicant stated that prices of surgical masks are skyrocketing across the province, including Karachi, while there is an acute shortage too.

SHC terms that wearing masks to prevent deadly coronavirus is not mandatory.

“Who said wearing a mask is mandatory to get safe from coronavirus”, Justice Muhammad Ali remarked. Have you not saw the press conference of the doctors in this context, yesterday? he asked the lawyer of the applicant.

The SHC bench observed that masks are available in Karachi after observing a girl wearing a mask in the courtroom. Upon asking, the girl replied, she bought the mask from the city but after facing so many difficulties.

Panic has been created under the name of coronavirus in the city, the judge remarked.

Following the detection of two cases of coronavirus in Pakistan, the prices of surgical masks surged in various parts of the country. The two cases of novel coronavirus were reported in Karachi and Islamabad.

On the other hand, some 82,560 people have been infected worldwide by a coronavirus and 2,813 have died, according to the latest toll from official sources.