ISLAMABAD: The government has decided to gradually lift the lockdown restrictions, imposed to contain the impact of coronavirus, from May 9 (Saturday), announced Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday.
Addressing the nation after the much-awaited meeting of the National Coordination Committee (NCC), the premier said: “Today we have decided to lift the lockdown in phases, starting from Saturday.” He was speaking alongside Federal Ministers Asad Umar and Shafqat Mehmood.
Revealing the decisions taken in the meeting, Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar announced that more sectors related to the construction industry, which was partially reopened last month, were allowed to resume business activities.
In addition to the opening of selected out patient departments (OPDs), which will treat specific diseases, markets were also granted permission to operate however between specific hours. “Markets will open after sahoor but will close at 5:00 pm,” Umar announced, adding that they will remain closed for two days per week.
The government has also cancelled all board examinations and students will now be passed/failed based on their results from the previous year.
Educational institutions which were previously tipped to open on June 1 will now remain closed till July 15. Announcing the decision, Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mehmood said: “Students’ health and their education cannot be compromised.”
Pakistan had reported its first Covid-19 positive case on Feb 26 following which the government adopted a number of precautionary measures short of a national lockdown despite repeated calls by the opposition parties and the civil society to do so. The prime minister refused to oblige, noting that a nationwide lockdown will result in “poor dying from hunger”.
However, as the toll began to surge, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) government in Sindh entered a provincewide lockdown, bringing life to a halt. The lead was followed by the rest of the provinces/administrative units which imposed quarantines, even suspending intra-city and inter-provincial transport.
Prime Minister Imran announced that public transport, however, will remain suspended on provinces’ concerns. “I believe it [public transport] should be reopened because it is the common man’s mode of transport but the provinces have reservations. We do not want to take decisions unless there is unanimity,” he said.
He acknowledged that the number of positive cases is ticking up as are fatalities. “We always knew that this is bound to happen. Our concern, however, was that the number of cases should not rise so high and rapidly that health facilities are burdened,” he said, adding: “That has, fortunately, not happened.”
The prime minister observed that the country cannot afford to remain in extended lockdown as “our people are suffering financially”.
“While the people are concerned about the second wave of the virus, the government has to take into consideration the monetary implications of the quarantine.”
“Every business has been affected by this lockdown,” he said as he noted that that the low-income groups have been hit the hardest.
“For how long can we do that though,” he asked.
