Sindh govt ready to extend business hours during lockdown

KARACHI: Sindh government has given its nod to extend closure timings of businesses in the province during coronavirus lockdown over traders demand, ARY NEWS reported.

“If a decision is taken at the federal level then we will also extend the closure timings of businesses in the province,” said Sindh Minister for Information Nasir Hussain Shah.

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He further said that even if the Supreme Court of Pakistan directs to extend business hours in the province then they are ready to implement it.

“We also want to provide relief to the masses while taking all preventive measures to avoid spread of the virus,” he said while expressing provincial government apprehensions over certain decisions on resuming activities during lockdown.

It is pertinent to mention here that Sindh government on Tuesday devised standard operating procedures (SOPs) to be followed at the shopping malls to avoid coronavirus pandemic after the Supreme Court on Monday ordered the opening of malls across the country. The chief justice questioned “rationale” behind closing the markets on the weekend.

The apex court directed Karachi Commissioner Iftikhar Shallwani to allow all the markets in the port city to resume operations and restrained the city administration from sealing shops and business centres.

Under the SOPs prepared with the assent of the Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah for shopping malls, no customer would be allowed to enter the malls without covering their faces with a mask while visitors should also be provided with hand sanitizers.

Thermal guns would be compulsorily used to record temperature of the visitors.

The government’s SOPs further directed that those having virus symptoms, people aging above 55-year-old and children should not be allowed to enter the malls.