NCOC finalizes recommendations to ease lockdown restrictions

ISLAMABAD, May 05 (APP):The National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) have firmed up multiple recommendations to ease lockdown restrictions in the country that were imposed to curb spread of the coronavirus.
The NCOC, which met here with Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms Asad Umar in the chair, finalized some recommendations, meant to strike balance between the coronavirus containing measures and economic activities in the country.
According to the measures which were being proposed to the National Coordination Committee (NCC) after taking feedback from the different stakeholders, inter-provincial transportation should be opened with proper implementation of the standard operating procedures (SOPs) that aimed to stem the virus spread.
The recommendations also included opening of phase-II of the construction sector, reopening of retail outlets, and operationalization of the selective out patient departments (OPDs) in the Federal Capital.
The participants of meeting proposed to enhance shops timings and said it should remain open from 9 a.m to 5 p.m. and then 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.
They also decided to bring no change in the SOPs for the religious festivities in the second half of the holy month of Ramazan. It would remain same as agreed between the government and the Ulema previously.
The recommendations would remain in effect till May 31 if approved by the NCC at its next meeting.
The meeting was attended by Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Shibli Faraz, Federal Minister of Industries and Production Hammad Azhar, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Lt. Gen. (R) Asim Bajwa, Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Syed Fakhar Imam and others.