COVID-19: Shops in KP, Balochistan to remain open till 7pm

QUETTA/PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhuwa (KP) and Balochistan governments have increased the business timings of markets by two hours after the National Coordination Committee’s (NCC) decision to ease lockdown restrictions in the country.

While addressing media in Quetta, Balochistan government spokesperson Liaquat Shahwani said that the period of the smart lockdown in Balochistan has been extended by 15 days. He revealed that shops and business centres will be open from 9 am to 7 pm across the province.

"The smart lockdown will feature six days of business, however, Friday will be a holiday across the province," said Shahwani.

Meanwhile, KP Chief Minister Mahmood Khan announced that the lockdown has been further relaxed in the province with markets and shops permitted to remain open till 7 pm. However, business activities will be closed on Saturday and Sunday.

"The tourism department is also resuming operations with the implementation of Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)s", the chief minister stated, warning that sectors not abiding by the issued SOPs will not be permitted to continue operations.

Sindh government reopens public, online transport

Earlier in the day, the Sindh government gave the green signal to resume public and online transport services across the province on Tuesday.

This was announced by Sindh Transport Minister Awais following successful negotiations between transporters and the Sindh government.

A monitoring and inspection team has been constituted to ensure that social distancing guidelines and SOPs are followed by transporters to stem the spread of the coronavirus.

“Transport will be allowed to resume within the city from tomorrow,” said Awais, adding that all transporters will have to follow the government's SOPs.

“If SOPs are not followed then public transport will once again be banned,” said the minister. He had added that extra passengers will not be added to buses and other modes of transport.

The minister said that intracity transport had been allowed but a decision had to be taken regarding inter-city transport. He thanked transporters for patiently sustaining losses over the past two-and-a-half months due to the lockdown.