MUZAFFARABAD: After a “complete” lockdown spanning more than two weeks, the territory of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) would go for a smart lockdown from Wednesday as part of its desperate efforts to contain the spike in Covid-19.

According to the decisions taken at a high level meeting, presided over by Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider, all businesses and shops would remain open from 7am to 10pm five days a week, except for Tuesdays and Fridays.

Children below 10 years of age and elders beyond 60 years of age would not be allowed in the markets, the meeting decided.

The ban on gatherings and congregations and marriage halls would remain in place and restaurants and hotels would as usual work as takeaways, instead of serving food on their premises.

The meeting decided to continue a ban on private medical clinics and affirmed an earlier decision regarding the educational institutions that they would remain closed until Jan 10, next year.

It was also decided that the SOPs would be enforced within the AJK territory as well as the entry points and warned that punishment for those showing disregard to precautionary measures.

Regarding the expatriates, it was decided that they would also be screened and suspected persons would be kept in isolation.

The meeting expressed the hope that all people would religiously observe the SOPs, failure of which could force the government to go for a curfew.

Published in Dawn, December 9th, 2020