Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Shibli Faraz on Friday said that cooperation of the people was required to make phase-wise lifting of the virus lockdown successful in the country.
In a tweet, the information minister stressed that Standard Operating Procedures (SoP) for various businesses would have to be implemented strictly. He warned that the lockdown could be reinforced again if precautionary measures were not followed by people rigorously.
لاک ڈاؤن کھولنے کی کامیابی میں عوام کا تعاون درکار ہے۔کاروباری شعبوں کیلئے بنائے گئے ایس او پیز پر سختی سے عمل کرناہوگا۔احتیاط نہ کی گئی تو دوبارہ لاک ڈاؤن کی طرف جانا پڑے گا۔ کورونا مشترکہ قومی مسئلہ ہے، متحد ہو کر مقابلہ کرنا ہے۔ 1/2
— Senator Shibli Faraz (@shiblifaraz) May 8, 2020
“The coronavirus pandemic is a common issue which can be tackled with unity and national coherence,” read the tweet.
The federal minister went on to say that gradual easing of lockdown reflected on the government’s approach of compassion and concern towards the down-trodden segments of society.
عوام کی صحت کی حفاظت اور معاشی روانی کوساتھ لیکر چلنا ہے۔لاک ڈاؤن میں مرحلہ وار نرمی کا فیصلہ پسے ہوئے کمزور طبقات کیلئےجذبہ احساس کا مظہر ہے۔چھوٹے کاروباری افراد کے کاروبار کوسہارا ملے گا۔ طویل المعیاد لاک ڈاؤن چھوٹے کاروبار کرنے والوں کے روزگار کو ہمیشہ کے لئے ٹھپ کردیتا۔ 1/1
— Senator Shibli Faraz (@shiblifaraz) May 8, 2020
Maintaining that the decision to phase-out the easing lockdown was made to support small businesses setups in the country, Shibli also noted that the extended lockdown could have disrupted employment of people involved in small-scale businesses.
“Maintaining the flow of economic activities and protecting health of people should go side by side,” Faraz tweeted.
Earlier on Thursday, Prime Minister Imran Khan had eased the lockdown in Pakistan given the impact it has had on the economy.
Speaking after a meeting of National Coordination Committee (NCC), which is the apex coronavirus decision-making body comprising top civil and military leaders, including the provincial chief executives, PM Imran had said the country would be opened “in a phased manner from Saturday”.
“It is now the responsibility of the masses to follow the rules; otherwise, we would be forced to reverse the decision. I was in favour of allowing public transport but the provinces did not agree to it.
“It has therefore been decided that the provinces will make their own standard operating procedures (SOPs) and share [them] with the Centre.”
