Punjab restricts business hours after soaring cases of Covid 19

LAHORE: The Punjab government on Saturday notified restricted hours of business activities and more restricts amid increasing cases of coronavirus in the province, ARY News reported.

The new restrictions will be enforced in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Faisalabad, Multan, Gujranwala and Gujrat district as spike in COVID-19 cases reported in the province.

The notification that will be enforced forthwith and will continue until March 29.

The business and trade centres will close at 6:00 PM, while Saturdays and Sundays will be off days, according to the notification.

The restrictions will not be enforced at medical stores and the health facilities.

According to the order, the shops of the necessary items and petrol pumps will also remain open.

Under the notification indoor, outdoor marriage halls, community centres and marque will remain closed from March 15, while the number of participants in social and religious gatherings will be restricted upto 50 persons.

Moreover, the government has also restricted the number of participants in other districts not more than 300 persons.

The shrines and cinema halls will remain completely closed and ban on dine in across the province.

It is to be mentioned here that the provincial administration has decided to impose smart lockdown in more areas of Lahore, Rawalpindi and Gujrat amid increasing COVID-19 cases.

Secretary Primary and Secondary Healthcare Punjab in a statement announced to impose smart lockdown in COVID-19 hotspots in 16 localities of Lahore, four in Rawalpindi and 17 areas of Gujrat keeping in view the recent spike in coronavirus cases.