Sindh announces extension in 'smart' lockdown till July 15 to curb rising coronavirus cases.

KARACHI -- The government of Sindh on Wednesday announced an extension in the "smart" lockdown imposed across the province, till July 15, following in the footsteps of Punjab and Balochistan amid a rising number of coronavirus cases in Pakistan.

A notification issued in this regard said the decision was taken "in continuation of the order of even number dated 1 June, 2020 and for the same reasons recorded therein the Government of Sindh, in exercise of powers under Section 3(1) of the Sindh Epidemic Diseases Act, 2014 (The Sindh Act VIII of 2015)".

The province had announced on June 1 that following a meeting of the National Coordination Committee, it had been decided that economic activities must be opened and a focus on compliance of SOPs must be ensured while such economic activities are undertaken.

In today's notification, therefore, the selective lockdown has been extended for two more weeks, with the following places to remain closed and activities prohibited:

i. Educational training institutes

ii. Marriage halls, business centres, expo halls

iii. All contact sports, indoor sports clubs, indoor gyms and sports facilities

iv. Sporting tournaments, indoor and outdoor

v. Restaurants, cafes excluding takeaway and home delivery

vi. Theme parks, amusement parks and arcades

vii. Beauty parlours and spas

viii. Cinemas and theatres

ix. Public processions/gathering of all nature, shrines

x. Tourism/tourist hotels

xi. Inter-provincial transport

Intercity transport shall be opened "keeping in view petition by transporters in Honourable High Court of Sindh" but not inter-provincial public transport.

"The provincial government and district administration, by an order, may restrict all/any activity in areas which are the hotspots for the spread of COVID-19," the notification added.

In this period, operational...