Information minister says success of ease in restrictions depends on cooperation of people

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Shibli Faraz on Friday said that cooperation of the people was required to make phase-wise lifting of the virus lockdown successful in the country.

In a tweet, the information minister stressed that Standard Operating Procedures (SoP) for various businesses would have to be implemented strictly. He warned that the lockdown could be reinforced again if precautionary measures were not followed by people rigorously.

“The coronavirus pandemic is a common issue which can be tackled with unity and national coherence,” read the tweet.

The federal minister went on to say that gradual easing of lockdown reflected on the government's approach of compassion and concern towards the down-trodden segments of society.

Maintaining that the decision to phase-out the easing lockdown was made to support small businesses setups in the country, Shibli also noted that the extended lockdown could have disrupted employment of people involved in small-scale businesses.

Read also: PM Imran announces ease in coronavirus lockdown from Saturday

“Maintaining the flow of economic activities and protecting health of people should go side by side,” Faraz tweeted.

Earlier on Thursday, Prime Minister Imran Khan had eased the lockdown in Pakistan given the impact it has had on the economy.

Speaking after a meeting of National Coordination Committee (NCC), which is the apex coronavirus decision-making body comprising top civil and military leaders, including the provincial chief executives, PM Imran had said the country would be opened "in a phased manner from Saturday".

"It is now the responsibility of the masses to follow the rules; otherwise, we would be forced to reverse the decision. I was in favour of allowing public transport but the provinces did not agree to it.

"It has therefore been decided that the provinces will make their own standard operating procedures (SOPs) and share [them] with the Centre.”