Sindh urges centre to allow limited business, routine activities in case of easing lockdown.

Byline: Imran Ayub

KARACHI -- Seeing reopening of schools and educational institutions in June as 'not possible', the Sindh government on Wednesday insisted Islamabad and other stakeholders allow limited business and regular activities even if the decision about easing the lockdown was reached with consensus among all the provinces and the centre.

Claiming that majority of members of the federal government were against opening of business activities, shopping malls and markets, some key Sindh ministers wondered how the provincial Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf leadership was demanding resumption of normal business activities.

'I suggest them [PTI leaders] to first contact their leadership before making any demand or statement,' said Education Minister Saeed Ghani while addressing a press conference at the auditorium hall of the Sindh Assembly along with Energy Minister Imtiaz Sheikh.

'We want a consensus and national level decision over the lockdown. But still we suggest extraordinary care while reaching any decision and it would not be business as usual like opening of shopping malls and markets. Even members of the federal government have supported this idea,' he said.

Decision to reopen schools on June 1 still not final

To a query, he said that there was a huge difference between the resources of the federal and provincial governments and because of that the Sindh government was supposed to get Rs835 billion from the centre this year but chances of such support were highly unlikely.

'But I demand that the federation provide maximum health relief to all the provinces,' he said. 'We have decided that we will take all the decisions in consultation with all the provinces at the National Coordination Committee as there must be national unity in the country,' he added.

Ghani unsure about schools' reopening from June 1

To another question about opening of schools and educational institutions in Sindh, closed since Feb 26 with the detection of the first coronavirus case in the province, Mr Ghani was not sure about the scheduled resumption of educational activities from June 1.

'When [Covid-19] cases started emerging we took some key and immediate decisions and closure of schools and educational institutions was one of them,' he said. 'We had decided to close schools under summer vacations a little early to start the new session from June 1. We have not reached any decision yet but honestly if you ask me, it doesn't sound possible to me. But, still I...

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