Pakistan is preparing ways for reopening some of the businesses and ease restrictions sequentially from the coming week to slowly restart normal daily life.
Pakistan is going through a tough condition due to the coronavirus pandemic disease. Within just 4 months since its outbreak from the city of Wuhan in China, 3,086,832 people have diagnosed and 212,666 have died of this deadly disease. Only in Pakistan, 14,079 cases have been reported and 301 deaths have been reported so far. On the bright side, the cases and casualties in Pakistan are lower comparatively.
So far no vaccine has invented and every country has scrambled and came up with their own measure and solutions to contain the spread of the virus. The only effective way that has been implemented in every city and country is authorizing lockdown of business, closing of educational institutes, and putting on hold daily activities. People are told to maintain social distance and avoid any unnecessary getting out of home or else this contagious disease can spread rapidly.
To get rid of the virus, Pakistan has also ordered a lockdown and so far all the businesses are closed and people are told to isolate themselves from social activities. In case any person shows some symptoms of flu, they are told to self-quarantine at home for at least two weeks.
The almost whole country is following the orders of government and the whole public seems to be cooperating. Although, lockdown is helpful in containing the rapid spread of Covid-19, what is the solution of the economy that is sinking every day due to closure of business? This question is now being asked in every part of the world and the world is now prepping up for the post-covid affairs.
Prime Minister of Pakistan Mr. Imran Khan has said repeatedly that he cannot order complete curfew because the economy of the country is already in bad shape and by imposing a curfew, the condition of the country can get even worse. He is also not in favor of long-lasting closure of business because first, it will be unsustainable, and second, the daily wagers and low-income groups will get affected the most.
Due to the total lockdown condition, three major issues are rising in the country. One, people who had small businesses like shops, street vendors, daily wagers, etc based on which their families were to feed, have no other way out to earn. Second, daily life has disturbed that people have no solutions to buy essential things from the market because the whole market is closed. Third, the low economy of the country will sink according to the prediction of IMF that is an alarming situation.
These are the major reasons that the government has now taken steps for reopening some of the businesses sequentially and exempt other non-essential businesses from the coming week. The steps include:
- Monday-Tuesday: Constructive departments and automobile sectors will remain open.
- Wednesday-Thursday: Jewelers, cloth shops, and shopping malls will remain open.
- Friday-Saturday: Electronics, computers, and mobile shops will be opened.
All the above-mentioned businesses will remain open from 9 am to 5 pm according to the SOP issued by the government.
These are the most crucial steps taken by the government for the reopening of businesses because to avoid the complete collapse of the economy and the complete destruction of the low-income groups, there is no other way but to follow this solution.
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