In view of rising cases of novel coronavirus cases in the country, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday announced to extend the ongoing country-wide lockdown for another two weeks.
Following sectors will be exempted from Lockdown media, banks, relief organisations, grocery stores, petrol pumps were already operating and their supply chain.
Chemicals manufacturing plants, e-commerce for exports and necessary local delivery items, software development and programming firms, paper and packaging units, industries with labour available on the premises, fertiliser plants, mines and minerals industries, dry cleaners and dhobis, glass manufacturing, veterinary services, cement plants, nurseries, machinery-making units and book and stationery stores will be exempted from Lockdown.
All export industries will also be exempted as long as the trade development authority confirms all orders first
Addressing a joint press conference following the National Coordination Committee (NCC) meeting, PM Imran said that all the public places and educational institutions will remain closed during the lockdown. He urged the people to follow the safety instruction issued by the government to protect themselves from Covid-19.
He said that the government was making all-out efforts to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus. On the occasion, PM Imran announced to open the construction sector to help daily wagers and labourers affected by continued lockdown.
He maintained that this sector has the lowest risk factor in terms of coronavirus spread and added that there is consensus between center and the provinces regarding opening the construction sector for providing employment to people.
PM Imran said an ordinance will be laid out soon to provide big incentives to the construction sector to generate job opportunities.