Staff Reporter
Lahore
Chief Minister of Punjab Usman Buzdar on Saturday announced that shopping malls and picnic spots will remain closed throughout the province for two days, as coronavirus cases continue to emerge in Punjab and other parts of the country.
Addressing a press conference, the chief minister said that the decision will come into force from Saturday, 08:00pm. CM Buzdar appealed to the masses to stay indoors so that they could be safe from the coronavirus.
“This is not a lockdown. The logic behind the decision is to maintain social distancing,” he said. The chief minister specified that bakery, milk and poultry shops will remain open throughout the province.
Pharmacies, petrol pumps and grocery stores will be allowed to remain open during this period.
Buzdar called upon the public to self-isolate for the next two days and announced that a “coronavirus emergency ordinance” will be introduced on Tuesday.
A 240-bed quarantine centre has been established in the Dina area of Jhelum. Dina Assistant Commissioner Ali Bajwa said the quarantine centre has been established in a private college and another 120-bed quarantine centre will be established at a campus of Punjab University in the city.
He added that the Punjab government would be responsible for providing food to those quarantined while arrangements for conducting tests have also been made.
Punjab Primary and Secondary Healthcare Secretary Captain (Retd) Mohammad Usman has said that 127,000 face masks are being produced in the province everyday. He added that 50,000 masks are being produced in Lahore, 40,000 in Rawalpindi and 20,000 in Faisalabad respectively along with other cities in the province.
Usman added that the department is also working on increasing the supply of sanitisers and people would soon hear “good news”.