Govt to impose complete lockdown in Lahore on weekend

F.P. Report

LAHORE: In view of the fast deteriorating situation, arising out of the increasing number of coronavirus cases and deaths, the authorities have decided to impose a complete lockdown in Lahore tomorrow on Saturday (May 1) and Sunday (May 2).  

According to the directives issued by Commissioner Lahore Captain (retd) Muhammad Usman, all businesses and markets will remain completely closed on these two days barring medical stores, petrol pumps, vaccination centers, fruit, vegetable and meat shops.

Captain (r) Usman said there will be a complete ban on all kinds of inter-provincial transport.   He has appealed to the people to purchase items of daily use today (Friday).   

Commissioner Lahore said since the provincial capital was witnessing a record number of deaths daily, it was time to take tough decisions to stop the spread of the virus.  

He appealed to people to cooperate with the administration in implementing these decisions in these testing times.

“We are passing through a crisis. And together we have to beat the pandemic,” he said resolutely. 

Captain (r) Usman urged people to take precautionary measures, follow the standard operating procedures in order to save their own lives as well as of their loved ones.

Authorities in Punjab on Friday morning reported 83 deaths due to the coronavirus, raising total casualties to 8,410.

The province now has 301,114 confirmed cases; it reported 2,296 new infections after conducting 18,962 tests, a positivity ratio of 12.1 percent. There were 1,395 new recoveries recorded, leaving 243,463 fully recovered, and 49,241 active cases of the virus.

During the past 24 hours, as many as 1,085 infections and 18 deaths were reported in Lahore.