Govt starts crackdown against illegal cattle markets

Authorities have decided to launch a crackdown against unauthorized cattle markets – set up across the country ahead of Eidul Azha – to prevent spread of contagious novel coronavirus disease.

According to a statement issued after the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) meeting on Friday, no unauthorized cattle market will be allowed to operate in any part of the country while the authorized cattle markets will have to follow all the relevant standard operating procedures (SOPs).

The meeting noted with concern the reports that the SOPs are being violated at cattle markets.

It was decided that the federal and provincial governments as well as administrations of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan will start a crackdown against these markets. In all provinces and regions, special monitoring teams will ensure implementation of the SOPs.

These teams are authorized to impose fine on cattle markets and even order their closure in case of violation of the coronavirus precautions. The cattle markets will open for certain hours of the day and people will be allowed to enter them in a specific numbers.

The NCOC statement said the buyers and sellers at the markets will have to wear masks and ensure social distancing norms. It appealed to people to avoid going to markets, parks and Eid congregations as much as possible.

At the Eidul Fitr, which was celebrated in end May, the authorities had to relax restrictions on shopping after a court order causing a sudden increase in the prevalence of the pandemic.

Infections reached 6,000 per day in June, and some days saw about 150 deaths. Overall, more than 260,000 Pakistanis have become infected; over 200,000 recovered, and more than 5,500 died.

Later, the government adopted a sterner official attitude and initiated a policy of two-week ‘hot spot’ lockdowns in hundreds of communities where the virus had spiked.

Prime Minster Imran Khan also asked the military to assist in the fight, and its involvement in logistics, security and surveillance helped to flatten the coronavirus curve. The past several weeks have seen fewer than 2,200 new cases and 70 deaths on an average day.

The NCOC holds a meeting every day to take stock of the pandemic and implements decisions of the National Coordination Committee (NCC) on coronavirus.