LAHORE: The city district administration on Friday sealed 218 shops and stores for flouting the Covid-19 precautionary measures and standard operating procedures (SOPs).

Teams led by assistant commissioners also took various shopkeepers into custody for offering resistance during the sealing operation in various commercial areas of the city.

The team led by Lahore Cantt Assistant Commissioner (AC) Marsia Saleem sealed 15 shops in Saddar and 10 in Defence Y and H blocks.

Another team led by Shalimar AC Mehdi Maloof sealed 150 shops in nine major markets.

Model Town AC Zeeshan sealed 43 shops on Ferozepur Road. His team also got eight shopkeepers arrested for offering resistance.

Meanwhile, a special team constituted by Lahore Deputy Commissioner (DC) Danish Afzaal retrieved three kanals of state land worth Rs60 million from land grabbers in Harbanspura (Subhan Garden). The team also got 20 people arrested in this case.

KASUR: The district administration on Friday launched a crackdown in all four tehsils of the district on violation of Covid-19 SOPs.

Traders organisations, on the other hand, held corner meetings. Teams established by DC Manzar Javaid Ali started the crackdown and sealed 14 markets and impounded 15 vehicles for flouting SOPs issued by the government to curb the virus.

The DC said scores of people had thronged markets, forcing the administration to implement social distancing and other guidelines.

He said the crackdown in Chunian, Pattoki, Kot Radha Kishan and Kasur tehsils would continue without any discrimination.

The number of coronavirus cases in Kasur has crossed 300, while over half a dozen people had died of it.

CHINIOT: Thirteen shops were sealed for not following coronavirus SOPs. DC Muhammad Riaz said chief officers of municipal committees and assistant commissioners of Chiniot, Bhowana and Lalian tehsils were inspecting bazaars to ensure that shopkeepers and customers followed SOPs.

Published in Dawn, June 6th, 2020