Lockdowns return as Covid cases surge

The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government on Wednesday notified the return of lockdown in the region from next week, closing schools, wedding halls and beauty parlours etc while the Punjab government extended smart lockdown in several more localities in the provincial capital.

The measures came as the country’s single-day tally of new coronavirus cases continued to rise by more than 2,000 this week, which the health officials described as the second wave of the deadly contagion.

The AJK government on Wednesday issued a notification regarding the lockdown, which will run from November 22 to December 6. During the two weeks of the lockdown, the government placed a blanket ban on public gatherings.

All political, religious and social gatherings will be banned during the lockdown, however, prayers inside the mosques would be allowed subject to strict adherence to the anti-Covid standard operating procedures (SOPs). Funeral prayers will be restricted to 50 people.

All public and private sector educational institutions, including religious schools, wedding halls, shopping malls, barber shops, beauty parlours and private clinics will be closed. Dine-in facility in restaurants will also not be allowed but the take-away service will be permitted.

Only 50% staff will attend offices of the government and semi-government institutions, with a total ban on the visitors. Masks must be worn outside home, while any violation of the rule would invoke a fine of Rs500.

Groceries, medical stores, bakeries, vegetable and fruit shops, dairy shops, ovens would be open from 7am to 7pm. Public transport will run under the SOPs. Tourists’ movement will also be restricted in the region during the lockdown period, according to the notification.

Lahore

Following the increase in number of coronavirus cases, the local administration has decided to impose smart lockdown in nine more areas of the provincial capital, where the new cases of Covid-19 have emerged in significant numbers.

According to officials, smart lockdowns have also been imposed in several areas of Multan, Bakhar, Rawalpindi and Bahawalpur. They added that free movement of citizens had been restricted in these affected areas.

Punjab Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department Secretary Capt (retd) Muhammad Usman said the government would impose smart lockdown in all those areas where number of coronavirus positive cases were rising.

The notifications came as the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) said that the total active Covid-19 cases in Pakistan topped 30,000 after 2208 more people tested positive for the deadly virus, while 37 coronavirus patients died during the last 24 hours.

It said that 38,544 tests were conducted across the country on Tuesday, including 12,430 in Sindh, 15,003 in Punjab, 3,473 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), 5,975 in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), 626 in Balochistan, 297 in Gilgit Baltistan (G-B) and 740 in AJK.

Since the pandemic outbreak, a total of 363,380 cases have been detected so far, including 5,640 in AJK, 16,529 in Balochistan, 4,467 in G-B, 24,871 in ICT, 42,815 in K-P, 111,626 in Punjab and 157,432 in Sindh. So far 325,788 people have recovered, while there were 30,362 active cases.

The nationwide death toll from the disease since it first emerged in the country in February this year, has risen to 7,230 – 2,760 in Sindh, 2, 509 in Punjab, 1,318 in K-P, 263 in ICT, 156 in Balochistan, 93 in G-B and 131 in AJK.

Govt proposes 2-month-long winter break

The federal education minister expressed serious concern over the rising number of Covid cases in the country as his ministry sent a list of proposals to the provincial education ministries one of which is to announce over two-month-long winter vacations from November 24 till January 31.

“It is really hard for the federal government to decide for the closure of educational institutions once again. However children's life is precious to us,” Shafqat Mahmood said while speaking at a two-day conference “The Future Summit" via video link on Wednesday.

“However, the final decision about closure of educational institutions will be taken on November 23 at the education ministers’ conference,” he said.

Ahead of this meeting, the Federal Ministry of Education has made a number of proposals to the provinces. The first proposal is about announcing extended winter vacations for schools from November 24 till January 31, 2021.

The second proposal suggests starting online classes for primary school students from November 24; for middle school students from December 2 and for higher secondary school students from December 15. Under this plan, teachers will have to go to schools for conducting such classes.

The federal government has also proposed extending the education year till May 31, 2021. It has also proposed holding 10th grade and intermediate examinations in June 2021. Under this plan, exams from class 1 to class 8 will be held in the first 10 days of June.

It has also suggested developing an alternative for practical exams. There is also a proposal to begin the new academic year in September next year.

At the November 23 meeting, the provinces will also present their proposals. In order to help the provinces take an informed decision, the federal government has also sent a report on the current situation of the disease.

Talking with reference to difficulties of students due to the pandemic, Mahmood said the school children – especially those enrolled in government schools –suffered education loss this year.

However, he said, the government has taken certain steps to minimize this loss which includes online teaching and tele-school systems which have given good results. “Now radio school system is being launched to reach the maximum number of students mainly from rural and remote areas.”

The minister said a uniform curriculum is almost ready and it would be implemented in the government schools throughout the country from April 2021 and in private schools from August 2021.

To another query about cut in syllabus in view of Covid-19 pandemic, he said Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governments have already reduced their syllabi of secondary schools and colleges. He said 20 million children are already out of the school and Covid-19 has aggravated the issue.

He said the country is in dire need for institutional reforms in civil service, judiciary, police and education to ensure good governance and provision of inexpensive and quick justice to the common man.

"We shall have to bring a new set of laws in the country to ensure equal social and economic rights for the poor. There is a need for fixing government regulations,” he added. Mahmood spoke of the various initiatives of the incumbent government for the welfare of the people, especially for low income groups.

The conference was also attended by the provincial education ministers, representatives of capital market and financial institutions as well as top government functionaries. Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh also addressed the participants.

(WITH INPUT FROM OUR LAHORE CORRESPONDENT)