Business activities in KP to resume tomorrow

PESHAWAR: The KP will relax the lockdown it had imposed from May 8 to May 16 to prevent the spread of coronavirus from Monday and business centres will be allowed to reopen but with fresh standard operating procedures (SOPs) to be shut by 8 pm and the public transport will resume carrying the passengers half of the capacity.

All the commercial centers, markets and businesses, as per a circular of the Home Department, will have to be closed by 8 pm after resuming the activities from Monday.

The indoor and outdoor cultural, commercial and religious activities will remain banned. The restaurants and hotels will remain closed and only takeaway service to be allowed.

The government also allowed the inter-city, intra-city and inter-provincial public transport from Monday with observance of SOPs under which vehicles will have to board passengers 50 per cent of its seating capacity.

It may be mentioned here that the 9-day lockdown was imposed to stem the spread of coronavirus spread during the third wave of the fast-spreading viral infection. Police in Peshawar registered 2,788 cases and took action against 6,973 traders for violation of the lockdown or not following Covid SOPs in Peshawar.

During the Eid holiday, people including families going to picnic spots on Charsadda Road and GT Road were turned back while most of the tourist spots were shut by the police and administration to avoid crowds.

Cases were registered against those violating the Covid SOPs at public places and transport in Peshawar and several other KP districts.

A control room to monitor the lockdown situation in the capital city through the CCTV and drone cameras by police and district administration was set up during the lockdown. The cops were directed to ensure Covid SOPs compliance in all parts of Peshawar during and after Eid.

An official said the drone cameras were used to keep a check on the situation in various parts of Peshawar during the Eid. Parks and tourist places across the province remained closed due to the lockdown.

The administration in Hazara and Malakand had announced that tourist spots will shut during the Eid holidays. Some of the families coming from other parts of the country were returned during the Eid days.

In Peshawar, special teams of the district administration and police were formed to visit various parts of the city to ensure the implementation of the Covid SOPs. Teams visited different bazaars and public places to make sure that SOPs were followed to stop the spread of coronavirus.