—Punjab govt extends partial lockdown till May 31, says no business will open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday
–Allows grocery stores, gyms, barbershops to function from Monday to Friday
ISLAMABAD/PESHAWAR: People across Pakistan crowded markets on Saturday after a nationwide coronavirus lockdown was eased, despite the country recording its second-highest daily infection toll.
With 28,795 infections in total, Punjab and Sindh have the highest number of infections, reporting 10,471 and 10,771 cases, respectively. Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have reported 1,935 and 4,509 cases each. In Islamabad and Gilgit-Baltistan, the infection swelled to 609 and 421, respectively. However, Azad Kashmir has the lowest number of cases, with 79 infections so far. At least 636 people have succumbed to the deadly virus in the country till date.
In a bid to contain the coronavirus cases after relaxation in the lockdown, the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governments have decided to impose a blanket lockdown in the provinces for three days in a week–Friday to Sunday.
The decision was announced a day after the provinces and federal territories eased lockdown restrictions, in place to contain the rising number of Covid-19 infections, following a meeting of the National Coordination Committee (NCC) on the issue.
Addressing a press conference in Lahore, Punjab Information Minister Fayyazul Hassan Chohan said the restrictions will be eased for four days in a week (Monday to Thursday) in which all shops and markets will be allowed to remain open. But, the province will see a complete lockdown on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, he added.
The Punjab government also extended the partial lockdown till May 31, for which a notification has also been issued. All small shops in Punjab will remain open for four days a week.
According to the notification, all major shopping malls and educational institutions in Punjab will remain closed. However, barbershops, beauty parlors and gymnasiums are allowed to open for four days a week. All grocery stores, tandoors and general stores will remain open from 9am to 5pm.
According to the notification, the fruit and vegetable markets and courier services will remain open for the entire week. Marriage halls, marquees, public transport, concerts and sports activities will be restricted till May 31.
It may be noted here that the Punjab government had also requested the Centre for permission to keep the lockdown intact in 8-10 major cities of the province in order to curb the coronavirus cases.
‘BETTER THAN LEAKY LOCKDOWN’:
Khyber Pakhtunkhawa (KP) Minister for Health and Finance Taimur Khan Jhagra announced that the province will have a four-day working week as the government seeks to ease the lockdown restrictions which were imposed to curb the spread of Covid-19.
Addressing a press conference about the easing of the lockdown in the province, Jhagra said: “The two things we are going to try out are that the closing time for shops and markets will be 4:00 pm and they will remain shut on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.”
Jhagra noted that these measures might be better than a seven-day “leaky lockdown”, saying that the government is trying its best to ease the lockdown while containing the risk of virus spread.
MARKETS CROWDED:
Meanwhile, in spite of the federal and provincial governments appeals to people to maintain social distancing and adopting precautionary measures such as using face masks and gloves, thousands of people in cities across Pakistan rushed to markets to shop for the upcoming Eidul Fitr festival.
In Karachi, shopkeepers set out their wares of shoes, clothes, bangles and fabrics, while in Islamabad and Rawalpindi shoppers stood in tightly-packed queues as they waited for stores to open.
Similar scenes were played out in Lahore, Quetta and Peshawar.
Omar Shirazi, a banker shopping for clothes with his daughter in Rawalpindi, welcomed the move.
“Eid is approaching,” he said. “We have to buy new garments for our children. It’s the responsibility of people to comply with rules and wear safety gear.”
Tehmina Sattar, who was shopping with her sister and sons, was more cautious.
“We are happy with this decision but at the same time I have a fear in my heart that if this disease spreads it could be devastating. People here are not taking preventative measures.”
Federal Minister for Information Shibli Faraz warned earlier in the day that the lockdown on businesses would be reimposed if safety guidelines were not followed, after authorities reported more than 1,700 new cases in the past 24 hours.
The easing comes as many across the country have openly ignored restrictions on gatherings in public during the past month, especially during the evenings as people observe Ramzan.
Schools will remain closed until mid-July however, while there are no immediate plans to restart public transportation or domestic flights.
