Islamabad: Meanwhile, despite sharp increase in number of coronavirus cases in Pakistan, shops, restaurants and small markets remained open on Monday in Karachi, Lahore and other big cities of the country in violation of the lockdown. On Monday, Pakistan reported 3,530 confirmed cases of coronavirus with Punjab recording more than 1,700 cases, Sindh around 1,000, KP 405 and Balochistan 192. So far, 52 deaths have been reported countrywide while 257 are recovered.
In provincial capital of Sindh, the shops in Hussianabad, Ayesha Manzil, Gulistan-e-Johar, Liaquatabad, Tariq Road, Saddar and other areas of Karachi were serving the customers against the government’s directives.
Large number of families and general public were seen taking breakfast at roadside restaurants, sipping tea and enjoying food there.
In Lahore, too, main markets in Gulberg, Anarkali and Fortress Stadium remained open and the authorities turned a blind eye to them. In Rawalpindi, Multan, Sargodha, Peshawar and Sukkur too, reports of violation of lockdown were received.
