Shops to remain open in K-P until 7pm

Govt says two-day lockdown will remain in place

PESHAWAR: After the federal government announced to ease the lockdown restrictions across the country, the provincial government has decided to allow shops and business centres to remain open until 7pm.

This despite the fact that the province reported 412 fresh cases of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) on Tuesday along with eight associated deaths. The overall toll has increased to 10,897 cases and 482 deaths.

The provincial government late on Monday announced that the lockdown has been further relaxed in the province with markets and shops permitted to remain open until 7pm. However, business activities will remain closed on Saturday and Sunday.

Public confused by govt policy on markets

The new directives were issued in light of the decisions taken in the last meeting of the National Coordination Committee (NCC).

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Chief Minister Mahmood Khan, while briefing the media at the CM Secretariat on Tuesday, said the relaxation in the lockdown is subject to the strict implementation of standard operating procedures (SOPs) and guidelines issued by the provincial government.

The government, he said, is working to reopen inter-district public transport, subject to the implementation of SOPs, for which the transporters are being engaged.

Commenting on Prime Minister Imran Khan’s statement that the government is looking to reopen the tourism sector in the province and neighbouring Gilgit-Baltistan, Mahmood said that SOPs are being developed to open the industry in the province for the upcoming season.

Explaining the relaxation in the lockdown, CM Mahmood said it was due to the difficulties being faced by the poor in the province. However, he reiterated that the adaptation of precautionary measures and SOPs has now become even more important.

“Implementation of SOPs will be strictly monitored by the local administration, and in case of violation, the business will be closed again,” he warned.

Eid shopping: citizens throng markets

The chief minister appealed to the public, traders, business communities, transporters and all other segments of society to strictly follow the SOPs and preventive measures against Covid-19.

The chief minister also paid homage to doctors, healthcare workers and government officials who have lost their lives while fighting the Covid-19 pandemic.

Meanwhile, two more senior government officials in K-P have tested positive for Covid-19 including the K-P Health Services Director General (DG) Dr Tahir Nadeem Khan and Local Government Secretary Mian Shakil. The infections were confirmed by the provincial government’s Media Focal Person on Coronavirus Zain Raza in a statement on the microblogging network Twitter.

Raza said both officials had been working to tackle Covid-19 since the beginning of the pandemic. Previously, K-P Chief Secretary Dr Kazim Niaz, K-P Public Health Director, CM’s special assistant for local bodies Kamran Bangash had also tested positive for the virus.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 3^rd, 2020.