Lockdown extended with relaxations

ISLAMABAD: Lockdown extended with relations. The government on Tuesday announced to extend the lockdown for two weeks, up to April 30.

However, apart from grocery and medical stores, plumbers, electricians and mechanics also allowed to open their workplaces.

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday announced that the restrictions imposed by the government on public gatherings, assemblies and the opening of educational institutions would remain in place another two weeks.

Sharing the decisions taken by a meeting of the National Coordination Committee (NCC) with the media, the premier noted that the government had announced a lockdown after 26 cases were confirmed in the country and thanked the public for restricting themselves to their homes in the subsequent days.

“I am glad to share that the coronavirus spread only 30 per cent of what the government had projected because of the way the people observed the lockdown in difficult times,” he said.

However, the premier cautioned the people against stopping to observe precautionary measures, saying infections from the virus could spike at any time.

Minister for Industries Hammad Azhar said the government had “identified industries where there is a low risk of the virus spreading” where lockdown extended and relaxed and they will be allowed to operate with standard operating procedures in place. Those industries include:

• chemical and manufacturing plants
• e-commerce for export
• e-commerce for local deliveries of necessary items
• software development and programming
• paper and packaging units
• Industries whose labour is present in their premises
• Cement and fertiliser plants
• Mines and minerals
• Dry cleaners and laundry services
• Horticulture nurseries
• Units making agricultural machinery
• Glass manufacturing
• Veterinary services
• All export industries provided their orders are confirmed by the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan
• Books and stationery shops.