KARACHI - Businesses, marriage halls, restaurants, transport, and offices in the province will remain open today after eight days of lockdown in the province amid spike in COVID-19 cases. According to a notification issued from the provincial home department, the lockdown was lifted in the province from August 9 with ease in restrictions announced until August 31.
According to the notification, the businesses have been allowed to open in the province until 8:00pm with Friday and Sunday declared as safe days. “Milk, pharmacies, petrol pumps, vegetable, and meat shops are exempted from timing restrictions and could remain open round the clock,” it said.
All types of indoor gatherings have been banned in the province, however, the outdoor gatherings would be allowed with participants not exceeding the limit of 300 people from Monday (today).
The provincial government also allowed outdoor marriage functions until 10:00pm with vaccinated participants attending the gathering.
Restaurants are allowed to operate outdoor dine-in until 10:00pm five days a week besides operating take-away and home delivery facilities round the clock during the entire week.
The tourism is allowed in the province only for vaccinated people while wearing a facemask is mandatory at public spaces for individuals all the time.
The district administrations have, however, being empowered to imposed a smart lockdown in their areas in case of a spike in COVID-19 cases. Offices, public transport, and train services have been allowed to operate with 50 percent attendance.
Indoor gyms have been allowed to operate with mandatory vaccination for all those attending the space while contact sports like boxing, kabaddi and others are banned as per the notification issued by the home department.
The facilitates that are exempted from the ease in restrictions included amusement parks, water parks, and swimming pools while cinemas and shrines will also remain closed.