The Punjab Government has officially permitted the opening of all markets, bazaars and businesses five days a week with longer working hours.

The decision comes despite recent reports from Punjab’s primary and secondary health department which showed a massive spread of the coronavirus in Lahore, suggesting that a large number of infected individuals are unaccounted for in official available figures.

Why did the Government take this step?

It appears that the Punjab Government has buckled under significant pressure from the business sector of the province.

Furthermore, officials from the government have made it clear that they are not in favor of another lock-down, with one having said that “The Punjab government is not currently heading towards another lock-down”. Instead, the Punjab government is taking steps including a massive awareness campaign, and perhaps at a later date, following the example of Islamabad in imposing fines on individuals not taking social-distancing measures seriously.

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