QUETTA: The Baloch­is­tan government has extended ‘smart lockdown’ in the province for another 15 days.

“Smart lockdown would continue till June 30 in Quetta and other parts of the province,” said a notification issued by the Home and Tribal Affairs Department here on Tuesday.

Standard operating procedures (SOPs) and resections announced earlier for allowing business activities and resuming all kinds of transport will however remain in force, the notification said.

The National Coordination and Operation Centre had included Quetta in the list of 20 cities identified as potential Covid-19 hotspots, but the notification has not mentioned any area of Quetta for sealing off completely even though the data showed that 84 per cent of positive cases have been reported from parts of the Quetta city and its surrounding areas.

Provincial health authorities and ministers have been saying that the business community and people were not observing SOPs and violating the restrictions, causing fast spread of the virus in Quetta and other areas of the province.

The director general of health had warned recently that 90pc of population of the province will be infected with the virus if the general public and traders did not observe SOPs.

The notification said that during the lockdown there shall be a complete ban on gathering of ten or more people, sit-ins and processions/rallies. People coming out in public places will have to wear masks, or any other clothing piece, it added.

However, tandoors, dairy products shops, medical stores, blood banks and tailoring shops will be allowed to be open round the clock.

Restaurants and hotels will also open 24 hours only for home delivery and takeaway service.

The notification said that educational institutions, cinemas, farmhouses, wedding halls and picnic points will remain closed till July 15, while gatherings of ten or more people, sit-ins, rallies, double rides and social, political and religious ceremonies will be banned.

All shopping malls, markets and shops will remain functional from 9am to 7pm from Saturday to Thursday, but businesses will remain closed on Friday, the notification said.

Inter-provincial, inter-district and inter-city public transport has been allowed to function, but with certain SOPs.

Published in Dawn, June 17th, 2020