The home department of Sindh government has rolled out on Friday night new Covid-related instructions wherein allowing restaurants an extension to conduct take-away operations till 1 AM from previously 10 pm. The notification below released by Home Department of Sindh reads that the restaurants can provide dine out service until 10 pm while they can facilitate customers for take-away services for up to an hour into the midnight. Earlier than this notification, the restaurants were only allowed, officially, to carry out take away operations until 10 pm. The notification, effective immediately, is valid until January 31, it read. Meanwhile, four restaurants were sealed and 10 people were fined for violating coronavirus SOPs inLyariarea on late Friday night. According to the administration of District South, three restaurants were located in Lyari’s Baghdadi while one was on MA Jinnah Road. For restaurants, the SOPs include maintaining social distance between patrons, wearing masks and closing at 10pm. The three restaurants did not close on time. Social distancing at the restaurants was not being implemented, South Deputy Commissioner IrshadSodhar said. “The government has a zero-tolerance policy against anyone violating SOPs.” On the other hand, 10 people in Lyari were fined Rs500 for not wearing masks in public. Across the country, provincial governments have been taking action against anyone not following precautionary measures against the novel coronavirus. In the last 24 hours, 71 people lost their lives to the deadly virus and over 2,700 new cases were reported countrywide. The highest number of cases has been reported in Sindh followed by Punjab. Pakistan has been hit by the second wave of coronavirus, compelling the authorities to shut down educational institutions across the country and announce new restrictions to contain the spread of the virus. In Sindh, markets and businesses are allowed to open from 6am to 6pm but must be closed on the weekends. Business centres, indoor gyms, indoor sports facilities, shrines and cinemas and theatres have been shut down indefinitely.
