Government relaxes lockdown, withdraws Eidul Azha notification
Punjab government on Monday withdrew its Eidul Azha lockdown order notified on July 27 as the number of new coronavirus cases declined significantly during last week.
The new notification issued by the Punjab Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department (P&SHD) secretary reads, “All educational and training institutes, marriage halls, business centres, expo halls, restaurants (except takeaway and home delivery), theme and amusement parks, public parks, play areas and arcades, beauty parlours and spas, cinemas, theatres shall remain closed.”
The notification confirmed that a complete ban on indoor and outdoor sporting tournaments and matches except non-contact professional sports without spectators would be observed throughout the province.
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“There shall also be a complete ban on gatherings of all kinds for social, religious, or any other purpose at any place, public or private,” it further stresses.
It is worth noting that all businesses, factories, facilities, premises, retail shops, shopping malls and plazas operating while adhering to safety protocols outlined by the government would be allowed to work between 9am to 7pm from Monday to Friday.
The government has also notified that a stricter lockdown would be in place on Saturdays and Sundays baring all businesses from operation except medical services, pharmacies, agriculture machinery workshops, atta chakkis, courier services, tire puncture shops, driver motels, petrol pumps, oil depots, spare parts shops, printing press, call centres with 50% staff and no public dealing, takeaway and home delivery from restaurants, and LPG outlets and filling plants.
Other exceptions include grocery stores, bakeries, fruit and vegetable shops along with meat and milk shops that have been allowed to stay open between 9am to 7pm on weekends too.
To facilitate citizens, inter-city and inter-district public transport shall remain operational 24/7.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 4th, 2020.