Sindh Minister for Information, Local Government, Housing & Town Planning, Religious Affairs, Forest and Wildlife Syed Nasir Hussain Shah has said that the agreement reached between Sindh government and traders on easing business hours was welcoming.

The provincial minister said that no strict action would be taken by the government if the traders strictly adhered to the standard operating procedures (SOPs) during business hours from 6am to 5pm. He said that the Sindh government decided to ease the lockdown in accordance with the decision of the Supreme Court and in consultation with the federal government in the wider interest of the people.

Shah said that easing or tightening of lockdown depended on implementation of SOPs by people and members of business community. He said that those who had to go to the markets for shopping should follow the guidelines issued by the government as the guidelines had been issued for their own protection.

"The only way to avoid getting infected with the coronavirus is to take precautions," he said. Shah said that as long as people and business community continue to follow the defined standard operating procedures, the relaxation in lockdown would not be withdrawn.

The Provincial Information Minister further asked the people and the members of the business community to strictly follow the lockdown on announced safe days. He said that according to the medical experts, it was very important to follow the standard of procedures, adding that, the Sindh government had formulated the standard operating procedures in consultation with the medical experts.

Shah expressed the hope that the members of the business community would not only implement the standard operating procedures themselves but would also make their customers bound to do so.-PR