The lockdown which had been imposed to control the spread of the coronavirus is effectively over. After opening shops, markets and other businesses, the last sticking point was the opening of shopping malls which has been resolved on the intervention of the Supreme Court.
The apex court issued a written order questioning the logic behind closing shopping malls if all the necessary safety precautions are followed. The provincial governments have been instructed to allow shopping malls to open and not create any obstacle, while markets that were earlier sealed for safety violations have been allowed to reopen.
The top court also seems to disagree with the smart lockdown strategy which included closing shops and markets for three days per week particularly on weekends. This was considered unjustifiable and even a violation of the constitution to restrict freedom of movement. The chief justice remarked that coronavirus does not go anywhere on Saturday or Sunday and hence, there is no reason to keep markets closed on these days.
The Sindh government which has wrestled with the federal government over lockdown measures has now accepted the top court’s directive. The court has also restricted Karachi Commissioner from sealing shops and markets and termed it the government’s responsibility to ensure that the SOPs are followed.
It must be noted that the lockdown restrictions across the country are eased at a time with the cases are still rising and the death toll has crossed 900. The apex court, however, believes that the coronavirus has not reached a pandemic level in Pakistan. The sudden rush in lifting all lockdown restrictions might come to haunt the nation if there is a spike in infections.
It seems an improbable task for the government to ensure SOPs are followed in crowded markets as hordes of people flock to malls and bazaars as Eid is just days away. The only effective remedy was to seal those public places where large crowds gathered.
This development can only be summed up in the words of the PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari who said he hopes sanity prevails in the highest court of the lands. He said the judiciary cannot pass any judgment which endangers the health can lives of people and rather issue verdicts based on medial realities. The only solution is that we respect the freedom we have been given and strictly adhere to safety precautions.
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