Restaurants, cinemas and gyms across country reopen after hiatus of five months

ISLAMABAD: All restaurants, hotels, gyms, theatres, cinemas, beauty parlors, and other businesses have reopened across the country after five months as government on Monday lifted almost all Covid-19 restrictions, ARY News reported.

According to details, all business activities have resumed across the country with strict enforcement of SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) issued in the wake of coronavirus. Business hours and weekly holidays have been reverted back to pre-Covid-19 practice.

Punjab and Balochistan government lifted the lockdown on Monday, allowing all sectors except marriage halls and educational institutes to operate under safety measures outlined by the government.

The Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department issued a notification following the decisions made in the August 6 meeting of the National Coordination Committee wherein it was decided to lift the restrictions on all sectors on August 10 and resume educational activities from Sept 15.

The Sindh government also allowed restaurants and other businesses to remain open till 9pm throughout the week.

The government has also given permission to hold events for non-contact sports. All air, train and road transport is being resumed.

It is pertinent to mention here that all restaurants, shopping malls and shops were closed following the lockdown imposed in the country in March to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

On August 6, Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar had announced that the government has decided to reopen dine-in restaurants, cafes, cinemas, parks and gyms from August 10 after a nearly five-month closure due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

However, he said, all schools, other educational institutions and marriage halls in the country will reopen from September 15.

It is pertinent to mention here that the active coronavirus cases in the country stands at 17,799, while 6,097 people have died from the disease so far.