PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on Friday announced the easing of lockdown enforced across the province on March 21 to check the spread of novel coronavirus (Covid-19).

According to it, shops and selected businesses will open four days a week and that all businesses will be closed at 4pm.

A notification of the relief, rehabilitation and settlement department said all businesses would remain closed across the province on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

“The decision regarding easing the lockdown has been taken on the advice of the federal government,” said adviser to the chief minister on information Ajmal Wazir.

Says permission subject to SOP adherence

He said the National Coordination Committee, which met under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Imran Khan in Islamabad on Thursday, had announced the lifting of lockdown in phases.

The adviser said the lockdown was announced across the province on March 21 to contain the virus and that the closure of businesses except those of essential services was extended from time to time.

The RRS department’s notification said all shops were allowed to remain open four days a week but not later than 4pm in the day subject to adaptation of the standard operating procedures.

It, however, said the businesses except the already identified essential ones would remain closed on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. The government has yet to decide about the resumption of public transport service.

The notification said meetings of the representatives of transporters at provincial and divisional levels would be convened to discuss preparation of proper SOPs for transport service.

The government exempted construction activities, businesses of steel, PVC pipes, electric appliances, manufacturers of steel, aluminum equipment, ceramics, paints industries, sanitary, paints, steel, aluminum works and hardware stores from the closure.

The notification said permission for the opening of those businesses would be subject to the adaptation of SOPs as guidelines had already issued for industrial units and sale points.

Moreover, all factories not included in the negative lists of factories were allowed to resume operation.

Another notification said low-risk industrial units, including marble mining, cutting/polishing and gemstones processing, were also exempted from closure.

In a notification issued on Mar 21, the provincial government had announced the closure of all markets, shops, and businesses except some essential shops and services until Mar 24. However, different notifications were issued from time to time for extending the lockdown.

On Apr 15, a notification was issued by the RRS department regarding extension in the closure of educational institutions, suspension of public transport and closure of shops.

Similarly, the government on Apr 24 put more restrictions on exempted shops by fixing 4pm as closing hour for them.

The government also made the wearing of face masks mandatory by people outdoors.

The business community welcomed the easing of lockdown.

The Traders Alliance said in a statement that Eidul Fitr was 15 days away, so the announcement of the closure of small markets and small shops two days a week should be reviewed.

It asked the governments to work with trader organisations to devise a ‘workable SOP’.

Published in Dawn, May 9th, 2020