Markets to be sealed in Punjab over neglecting SOPs: sources

LAHORE: Chief Secretary Punjab Jawad Rafique Malik has decided to seal several bigger markets of the province over negligence of the designed SOPs in the wake of coronaviurs, citing sources, ARY News reported on Thursday.

While briefing the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), the chief secretary said that reports are emerging that several markets of the province are not implementing the SOPs.

Sources further said that action in Lahore, Faisalabad and Rawalpindi will start within few hours.

It was reported on Wednesday that the federal government was considering tightening smart lockdown to control the spread of COVID-19.

A high-level meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan in Islamabad, had decided that provincial governments will play a pro-active role to create awareness among people about the implementation of SOPs to protect them from the virus.

Earlier, Federal Minister for Information Shibli Faraz had said that the intensity of coronavirus in the country is witnessing an increase as number of cases and death toll rises.

“Government has reviewed the situation on daily basis and lifted restrictions on movement in order to minimize its negative impact on lower segment of the society,” he had said while addressing a presser.