Peshawar's Qissa Khwani Bazar sealed over violations of SOPs

Amid rising number of Covid-19 cases in the country, Peshawar’s famous business center Qissa Khwani Bazar was sealed on Tuesday over violation of SOPs.

On the directions of Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Ali Asghar, Assistant Commissioner Peshawar Dr Ehtesham-ul-Haq sealed more than 300 shops and dozens of wholesale markets in the area.

The situation, however, escalated when a number of shop owners tried to resist the police and reopen their shops. Additional police force had to be called in by the district administration to complete the operation.
 

The move comes a day after both the federal and K-P governments expressed their frustration over thousands flocking to shopping centres in cities and flouting social distancing and other guidelines to prevent the spread of the pandemic.

In a meeting on Monday, the National Command Operation Centre had suggested provinces to restrict business timings in an effort to limit the spread of the virus.

As many as 48 more people died of coronavirus in the country over the last 24 hours.

According to the latest statistics, 2,954 tested positive for Covid-19 during the last 24 hours after 39,165 were tested of people.

The figure of patients recovered from the virus has reached 331,760. There are now 40,379 active cases in the country.