LAHORE: Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Ghulam Mahmood Dogar has said that all the bazaars including wholesale and retail markets as well as shopping and business centres will be closed down by 6pm by joint teams of police, Pak Army, Rangers and district government.

“All the bazaars, including wholesale and retail markets and shopping malls and business centres will be closed down by 6pm by joint teams of police, Pak Army, Rangers and district government,” the CCPO said while talking to reporters here on Monday.

As per the government’s guideline and the plan to contain the Covid-19 surge in Lahore, the CCPO said that these teams would start patrolling in all the major markets and bazaars at 4pm sharp on regular basis. These teams would also make announcements via loudspeakers, urging the people and traders to observe the Covid-19 SOPs and comply with the business timings, he added.

Warning that the law breakers will have to bear the brunt of violations, Dogar declared that the police would lodge FIRs against the citizens who caught not wearing facemasks in markets and bazaars and even outside their homes and sent them to jails.

“Drastic measures have become indispensable to safeguard society from the lethal coronavirus.”

The senior police officer said that society should seriously understand the risks of coronavirus. He hoped that the condition of 50 percent staff in public and private organizations will help the authorities to decrease rush in the markets and shopping centres, thus limiting the chances of people getting affected by the virus.

Earlier in the day, all the divisional units of Lahore police conducted flag marches in different areas of the city to increase sense of security among the citizens and create awareness among them regarding threats of the pandemic.

Contingents of Pak Army, Rangers and all the operational units of the Lahore police including Dolphin Squad, Police Response Unit, Elite Force, Traffic Police and Ababeel Squad participated in the flag marches. CCPO Ghulam Dogar said in the wake of critical situation of pandemic, complete implementation on the joint patrolling plan was being ensured by teams of Lahore Police, district government and law enforcement agencies (LEAs).

“Strict legal actions will be taken against the persons who violated the conditions of wearing facemasks and not followed the scheduled timing (6pm) of businesses,” Dogar warned.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021