PESHAWAR: Several shopping centres were sealed in Peshawar on Wednesday for violating the standard operating procedures (SOPs) devised for checking the spread of coronavirus. In Upper Dir and Shangla, the administration sealed the general bus stands for not following SOPs set by the government.

In Peshawar, Gul Haji Plaza, Shinwari Restaurant, R-Sheen, Sapphire and many other shops were sealed.

According to a spokesman for Peshawar district administration, Sajid Khan, the action was taken as these shopping centres had been violating the rules while the restaurant was sealed for allowing customers in a large number in violation of the lockdown guidelines.

Officials also conduct raids on markets, bus stands in Dir, Shangla and Lakki

In addition, the district administration also took action against 138 people, including traders, for not wearing face masks in different bazaars.

In Upper Dir, the district administration sealed the general bus stand in Dir Bazaar.

Assistant commissioner Ubaidur Rahman Dogar visited Dir bazaars and general bus stand to examine if the shopkeepers and transporters were following the SOPs as they had promised with the government.

During a surprise visit the officer and his team observed violation of SOPs in the bus stand, which was sealed.

In Shangla, the district administration sealed two public transport stands at Bisham city for not adopting SOPs after easing the lockdown imposed after Covid-19 pandemic.

Deputy commissioner Imran Hussain Ranjha raided the bus stands and various shops to examine the situation. They sealed two of the bus stands for not taking precautionary measures against Covid-19 as after easing the lockdown the government had instructed owners of the bus stands and shopkeepers to adopt SOPs for tackling Covid-19.

Later, the deputy commissioner told mediapersons that they were going to further ease the lockdown, but for this the traders, fuel stations and all other private centres must follow the safety measures.

Also, assistant commissioners of all tehsils in Shangla distributed face masks among people to create awareness of the virus threat among them.

In Lakki Marwat, the administration officials called upon traders to wear masks and ensure implementation of Covid-19 precautionary measures. The instructions were issued during separate meetings chaired by assistant commissioner, Lakki, Nadir Shahzad and additional assistant commissioner, Naurang, Aminullah Khan here on Wednesday.

The administration officials sensitised the businessmen to the preventive steps and SOPs issued by the government to control spread of coronavirus.

Mr Shahzad said that the government had allowed traders to open their businesses by implementing the SOPs, therefore they should fulfil their responsibilities.

Published in Dawn, June 4th, 2020