Lahore: The federal government on Thursday announced its decision to seal all marketplaces across the country found to be functioning in violation of the standard operating procedures (SOPs) formulated to fight the further spread of the coronavirus pandemic — a news source reported.
This decision was announced by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Political Communications Shahbaz Gill. He said that as per the decision taken by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), the government would be closing a number of big markets around the country for SOP violations. He added that the initiative had been launched in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa currently.
The NCOC was briefed by Punjab Chief Secretary Jawad Rafique Malik, who underlined the fact that a breach of SOPs would result in deaths, and that the pandemic could only be stopped if the government’s guidelines were heeded. Reportedly, all industrial areas, markets and transport terminals are also required to adhere to the SOPs, or face fines.
