'Ease in restrictions a test case for govt, public in K-P'

K-P CM’s aide says relaxation could be extended if people follow SOPs

PESHAWAR: Relaxation in the lockdown is a test case for both the provincial government and for public and stringent preventive measures would be imposed if the latter failed to follow the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) strictly.

Adviser to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) chief minister on Information and Public Relations Ajmal Wazir said this while addressing media.

Wazir said violation of the SOPs will not be tolerated and the relaxation could be extended to five days if the general public and shopkeepers ensured strict implementation of the SOPs.

The adviser informed that it was responsibility of the business community as well to ensure the government guidelines were followed upon adding that businesses, found violating the government SOPs will be closed immediately.

He added that K-P Chief Minister Mehmood Khan had been monitoring the situation and took decisions accordingly.

Sharing details of coronavirus cases, the adviser informed that 371 new cases were reported in last 24 hours where the total number of people who tested positive for Covid-19 has reached to 4,327.

He further informed that 12 deaths were confirmed in last 24 hours in the province while a total of 221 people have lost their lives due to Covid-19.

Earlier, K-P Health Minister Taimur Saleem Jhagra while addressing media along with representatives of doctors’ bodies said that doctors have supported the government’s move to relax the lockdown keeping in view the economic situation of the province.

Jhagra said that the relaxation in the lockdown was necessary as it was continued since March 23 and the Covid-19 would not go away in few weeks.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 10^th, 2020.