Govt to ease lockdown restrictions gradually.

ISLAMABAD: In order to lessen the financial difficulties faced by the people due to lockdown, Prime Minister Imran Khan Monday said the government is set to gradually ease restrictions, adding that the volunteer Corona Relief Tiger Force will help ensure implementation of the standard operating procedures (SOPs) in every field of life.

"The objective of easing restrictions is to assist the people affected badly by the lockdown and those who have lost their jobs. But if we did not follow the SOPs, the situation of coronavirus in the country, which has come to a bit level, will turn very bad," he said while addressing the Corona Relief Tiger Force volunteers here.

The prime minister said since the purpose of creating Corona Relief Tiger Force is to help people in this difficult situation, they should play their role in creating public awareness about the dangers of Covid-19 and guide them about the SOPs, including social distancing in mosques, shops, factories, etc. He said the biggest challenge in this difficult situation is to create balance in a way that the people can be saved from Covid-19 and the wheels of economy can also be run again by easing lockdown restrictions.

The prime minister told the Tiger Force members that as they are volunteers, they will not be getting any salaries or benefits and will be doing a `Jihad' by working in aid of the district administration and supplementing their efforts. He said the Corona Relief Tiger Force, besides creating awareness among the public about the Covid-19, will also help the people unemployed due to the coronavirus lockdown in getting registered at the Ehsaas web portal through special digital desks being set up at the union council levels. The registered unemployed people, after filtration of their credentials from the Ehsaas database, will be provided with the cash assistance, he added.

The prime minister urged the Tiger Force volunteers to also keep an eye on those engaged in hoarding, particularly of food items, and if they find any such activity, they must provide information to the district administration for further action. "You don't have to take any action against anyone on your own. You have to inform the administration," he said, and added that as hoarding is illegal and pushes price hike, it is the duty of the administration to check such activities. He also asked the Tiger Force to keep visiting the utility stores across the country to ensure social distancing and also have...