Staff Reporter
Islamabad
The federal government has decided to extend the countrywide lockdown till May 9, announced Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar on Friday.
Speaking at news conference, the minister said that a meeting of the National Command and Operation Centre decided to extend the date of the lockdown.
He said that the NCOC was about to start the implementation of the trace and track system from today, Saturday. “Consultations were held with chief secretaries and then health ministers at the NCOC. The prime minister has given approval for the system.”
Umar said that the apex body of the NCOC will oversee the trace and track system but the provincial governments, information technology institutions, civil and military organisations will be involved in the process as well. “This is a complete national response formed by the government,” he said, though adding that the provincial governments will be responsible mainly for the implementation of the system. He announced that throughout the month of Ramazan, loadshedding will not take place during Sehar and Iftar hours.
The minister said that if people practised the prescribed safety precautions during the holy month, then it would allow business and other activities to inch towards normalcy.
“However, God forbid, if we demonstrate irresponsibility, then we may have to impose more restrictions after Eid,” he said.
He said that generally, Pakistanis had made a lot of changes to their social life during the past month ever since the lockdown was imposed. “We are trying to predict what this infection’s spread will be through consultations with data scientists and experts,” he said.
Meanwhile, the nationwide tally of Covid-19 patients on Friday stood at 11,562 with 4,851 cases in Punjab, 3,945 in Sindh, 1,541 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 656 in Balochistan, 300 in Gilgit-Baltistan, 214 in Islamabad and 55 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The virus has claimed at least 244 lives while at least 2,527 coronavirus patients have recovered. Another medical professional succumbed to deadly coronavirus in the country when a senior dispenser of a virus control room in Civil Hospital, Quetta passed away on Friday.
MS Dr Fazlur Rehman Bugti and DMS Dr Javed Akhtar expressed deep grief over the death of Dr Haji Dilawar. Another 84 people contracted coronavirus to raise total number of such cases to 4,851 across Punjab, the provincial health department confirmed on Friday.
This includes 768 pilgrims, 1,915 Tableeghi Jamaat members, 86 inmates and 2,082 citizens.
The Punjab government is considering proposals to extend the partial lockdown till May 31 except for the export industry and government offices. A senior official revealed that the provincial government has forwarded the proposals to Islamabad for the final decision. Another official indicated that the government has also decided to partially open shops during the holy month of Ramazan.
The Adviser to Sindh chief minister, Murtaza Wahab, confirmed 274 new cases, raising the province’s tally to 3,945. In the last 24 hours, 42 patients have recovered from the virus. The total number of recoveries in Sindh stands at 772. Meanwhile, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Department of Excise and Taxation has decided to temporarily transfer 200 officials to the local administration to fight the pandemic. Excise officials will assist the deputy commissioner in special duties. Assistant Excise Taxation Officer Ijlal Babar has been appointed focal person. KP Health Minister Taimur Khan Jhagra said 1,146 tests were conducted in 24 hours. He said this is the highest number of tests conducted in one day, in the province.
