A smart lockdown has been enforced across the country starting today, except in the province of Sindh, as part of measures approved by the federal government to manage the prevailing situation.
Under the new measures, markets, shopping malls and department stores will shut down at 8:00 PM. Bakeries, restaurants, tandoors, and other food joints will be open till 10:00 PM.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, bazaars located in divisional headquarters will be allowed to operate until 9:00 PM. Medical stores and pharmacies have been exempted from all restrictions to ensure uninterrupted access to essential medicines.
According to the decision, marriage halls, marquees, and other commercial venues hosting wedding ceremonies will remain closed after 10:00 PM.
New markets closing time
In a meeting on petroleum products chaired by PM Shehbaz, it was decided that bazaars, markets, and shopping malls across the country will close at 8 PM.
Daily necessities shops, departmental stores, and malls will also close at 8 PM.
Bakeries, restaurants, tandoors, and food and beverage shops will close at 10 PM, and marriage halls and marquees will also close after 10 PM.
Wedding ceremonies in private properties and homes will be banned after 10 PM.
Medical stores and pharmacies will be exempt from these restrictions.
These decisions will be implemented from April 7 in Gilgit Baltistan, Azad Kashmir, Punjab, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Markets and shopping malls in the divisional headquarters of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will be allowed to stay open until 9 PM.
The consultation process on markets and working hours is still ongoing in Sindh.
Inter city public transport in Gilgit city and Muzaffarabad city will be free for one month.
Markets in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan will close at 8 PM.
Wedding ceremonies in private properties and homes will be banned after 10 PM, while medical stores and pharmacies will remain exempt.
Islamabad transporters to not increase fares
The Islamabad Transport Authority and local transporters reached an agreement to keep intra city transport unchanged.
According to the capital administration, both sides decided during a meeting to maintain existing fares despite recent changes in petroleum prices.
Read this also: How to claim Rs2000 petrol subsidy in Sindh?
