Ag APP
Small businesses, local markets and shops allowed to resume activities from tomorrow; construction sector’s second phase also given go-ahead; schools to remain closed till mid-July; no plans to restart public transport or domestic flights; PM urges people to voluntarily observe social distancing, warns curbs to be re-imposed if cases spike; Umar says decision made ‘purely on humanitarian grounds’; virus cases surpass 24,800
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday announced relaxation in the countrywide lockdown in phases beginning Saturday (tomorrow), thereby initially allowing small businesses and local markets and shops to reopen while observing necessary health safety guidelines.
Domestic flight operations, train service and public transportation would remain suspended. Closure of educational institutions has also been extended till July 15.
The success of the latest phase, aimed at facilitating labourers and small businesses, was linked with public cooperation and discipline, emphasised the Prime Minister in a televised briefing after chairing a National Coordination Committee (NCC) meeting. “We have decided to partially open the lockdown on Saturday just to facilitate the daily-wagers and small businesses. We have to open the lockdown with great prudence.”
The decision comes as the country’s virus cases continued to steadily rise. As of this report, Pakistan’s confirmed coronavirus infections stood at 24,892 with 591 deaths.
Among the major decisions made by the NCC included the reopening of small markets in localities and rural areas, allowing businesses to open after Sehri till 17:00 hours, opening of selective OPDs (out patient departments) at hospitals and closure of educational institutions till July 15. Provincial chief ministers also joined the high-level meeting through video link.
The Prime Minister said the state’s biggest responsibility was to protect the poor, particularly in the prevailing tough situation. Even New York, he added, had decided to open up the construction industry despite thousands of deaths due to Covid-19 pandemic. He, however, repeatedly advised the people to take all the precautions at workplaces and elsewhere to ensure their own protection and avert any sudden spike in the coronavirus cases.
“We can overcome it only as a nation. We will not ask the police to enforce standard operating procedures (SOPs) by force and arrest the violators.
“I ask the Corona Tiger Force to make the people understand that this is in their own benefit… If it spikes suddenly, we will have to close down again which will ultimately make the poor suffer,” he said.
The cabinet members also briefed the media about the decisions made in the NCC meeting concerning their respective sectors.
Meanwhile, Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar said on Thursday the government had decided to lift the lockdown for selected sectors after evolving a consensus on the issue.
He said the decision to relax curbs was purely based on humanitarian grounds due to adverse impact of lockdown on public life. The initiative was taken after thorough consultations with all stakeholders, including provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir, he said at a press briefing.
Umar said: “The people are unable to earn their livelihood due to lockdown and they are becoming mentally paralysed as they badly need money for food, health, education and other daily-life necessities.”
The ministers said after opening of the first phase of construction-related industries and business, the government had also decided to open second phase of construction sector from May 9.
Umar said small markets — shops that were in localities and villages with no chance of big gatherings, would also be open from May 9.
However, he said all those shops would remain open five days a week from Sehri time to 5:00pm.
