Asad Umar: Markets will open for five days a week

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning, Development & Special Initiatives Asad Umar on Thursday said that the markets will open for five days a week.

Giving detail of the decision taken at the NCC, he said that small markets and shops in mohallas and rural areas will be allowed to open from Fajar to 5 pm.

The minister said the entire business, except outlets of essential items like food and medicines will remain closed in two days of the week.

Asad Umer said that selected OPDs of the hospitals will be opened to treat specific diseases and illnesses.

Earlier, the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC), in a meeting chaired by Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar, had proposed easing of lockdown restrictions after May 9.

The chief ministers of the four provinces and representatives of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan attended the meeting. Prime Minister Imran Khan has summoned a meeting of the National Coordination Committee (NCC) on Thursday (today) to take a formal decision in this regard.

However, the NCOC rejected a proposal of Pakistan Railways to partially resume train services from May 10. Chief ministers of all four provinces rejected the recommendation of resuming the train operation.

The NCOC made multiple recommendations to ease lockdown restrictions in the country which were imposed to curb the spread of the coronavirus. The recommendations include the opening of phase-II of the construction sector, reopening of retail outlets and operationalization of selective outpatient departments in Islamabad.

The participants also proposed that shops should remain open from 9 am to 5 pm, and then again from 8 pm to 10 pm. No changes were made in the SOPs for religious festivities in the second half of the holy month of Ramadan and the measures will remain the same as previously agreed between the government and ulema.