Chief Minister of Sindh Murad Ali Shah has confirmed that the lockdown in the province will not be ending on Monday as some media reports were stating after the announcement by the Prime Minister regarding easing restrictions.
The Chief Minister said that Sindh will be entering into the next stage of the lockdown where there will be some more restrictions put in place especially for coronavirus hotspots.
Read more: COVID-19: Government of Sindh issue home isolation guidelines.
Murad Ali Shah released a statement saying:
We are entering the second phase of lockdown with some extra restrictions, particularly at hotspots.
However, minor exemptions will be given to some sectors such as construction, while neighbourhood shops will be allowed to operate under the standard operating procedures issued by the government.
On the other hand, Balochistan Spokesperson Liaquat Shahwani said that the province will be following smart lockdown as a means to curb the coronavirus outbreak.
According to a tweet, the spokesperson said that shop owners and traders will need to follow standard operating procedures (SOPs) strictly otherwise legal action will be taken against violators.
The Provincial Minister for Revenue also added that if shopkeeper or trader fails to comply with the SOPs issued by the government, their shops will be sealed.
Shops in the province will be allowed to operate from 3am till 5pm from Monday to Friday.
Read more: Coronavirus cases in Pakistan surge to 27392, death toll reaches 630.