Pakistani PM announces to ease COVID-19 lockdown from Saturday

   ISLAMABAD, May 7 -- Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan said here on Thursday that the government has decided to ease the COVID-19 lockdown starting from Saturday in the country, considering its impact on the economy.
   Talking in a live televised public briefing along with cabinet members, the prime minister said he has approved the decision of easing the lockdown taken at a meeting of the National Coordination Committee (NCC), top body in the country's fight against COVID-19, which includes ministers, provincial chief ministers and military officials.
   "We have decided to ease the lockdown partially in a phased manner from Saturday after analyzing the local situation and confirmed cases trend. It is now the responsibility of the businessmen and common people to follow the standard operating procedures (SOPs) otherwise we would be forced to reverse the decision," said the prime minister.
   Khan said that the government is not sure when the coronavirus peak will come to Pakistan, but the concerned departments are observing the situation.
   Khan added that the government needs to open industries because daily wage earners and laborers are suffering due to the lockdown and the closure of businesses, but he warned of an abrupt spike in infections if SOPs are not implemented strictly.
   Earlier on Thursday, the NCC had proposed easing in the lockdown restrictions after the federal cabinet had approved a proposal in this regard.
   According to the data released by the country's health ministry on Thursday morning, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Pakistan has risen to 24,073, with 564 deaths.
   On the occasion, Minister for Industries and Production Muhammad Hammad Azhar said the NCC has decided to open factories and their products shops related to paint, pipes, tiles, electric cables, steel, aluminum, and shops in rural areas and community centers five days a week from morning to 5:00 p.m. local time.
   According to the decision, all educational institutes and other mass gathering venues will remain closed till July 15 and all scheduled examinations have been postponed till further decision.
   The central government supported the opening of public transport but the provinces did not agree on it, leaving the issue for later consultations, said the prime minister.
   Last month, the Pakistani government allowed the construction industry to open by providing it with a financial package to provide jobs to laborers and to mitigate the COVID-19 harsh impact on the country's fragile economy.  Xinhua