Amid COVID-19 surge, Islamabad imposes smart lockdown in various sectors

Islamabad [Pakistan] August 2 (ANI): Pakistan on Sunday imposed a smart lockdown in various sectors of the capital due to a surge in the number of COVID-19 cases.
According to a notification issued by the Islamabad district magistrate, the movement of residents will be restricted in 27 streets in different sectors with a high Covid-19 positivity ratio, reported Dawn.
Exemptions to the order include essential services and supplies like pharmacy and medicine shops, grocery store and bakeries, patients for medical aid/medical consultation, rationing, drinking water supplies, utilities and emergencies.
"The citizens are requested to make prior arrangements for their convenience including ration, medicines and reschedule their engagements/office work before the onset of lockdown/sealing date and time," read the notification.
This comes after Sindh province imposed a partial lockdown from Saturday till August 8 as the COVID-19 cases are surging.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday slammed the partial COVID-19 lockdown imposed by the provincial government in Sindh as it went against the wishes of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led government.
While speaking during a question-and-answer session, Khan addressed the Sindh's decision to impose a partial lockdown to curb rising Covid-19 cases, saying it hadn't taken into consideration the hardships of the poor, Dawn newspaper reported.
"We had a small problem between the federal government and Sindh," Khan said. "Sindh government wanted to impose a lockdown, which is the correct decision and will curb the spread of virus."
Pakistan continues to record a spike in COVID-19 cases as the country total number of confirmed cases has risen to 1,029,811, while the positivity rate of the virus was recorded at 8.46 per cent, according to the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC).
Meanwhile, the number of active coronavirus cases in the country surpassed the 60,000 mark. On Friday, the COVID-19 positivity rate in the country was recorded at 7.79 per cent. (ANI)