The health authorities have notified imposition of a lockdown in a bid to stem the spread of deadly coronavirus.

According to a notification issued by the Punjab Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department, the restrictions are being put in place in wake of the third wave of a global pandemic that would be effective till May 17.

It said all activities will be banned across the province from 6:00 pm to Sehri, whereas, the complete holiday will be observed on weekends (Saturday and Sunday). In some districts, holidays will be observed on Friday and Saturday.

Business activities will be closed on Saturday and Sunday, however, petrol pumps, medical stores, vegetable and meat shops, stores of essential commodities, and vaccination centres will be exempted from the restrictions.

Indoor and outdoor weddings and other such events will be completely banned and a complete lockdown will be imposed in the districts having more than an 8 per cent rate of COVID-19 cases.

Restaurants and shrines will be closed in the affected districts including Jhang, Kasur, Khanewal, Lahore, Multan, Mandi Bahauddin, Okara, Rahim Yar Khan, Sialkot, Sargodha, Sheikhupura, and Vihari.

According to the notification, train service will be resumed with the capacity of 70 percent passengers, whereas, government and private offices will be restricted to send their 50 percent employees to work from home. The timing of all offices will be 9:00 am to 2:00 pm across the province.

Wearing face masks was declared mandatory for every citizen while coming out of their homes. Indoor meal service will be completed banned in restaurants; all amusement parks will be closed with exception of the walking and jogging tracks. 

The provincial government imposed a strict ban on all gyms, cinema halls, sports, cultural and other genres of events. For public transport, the government allowed to resume the facility for citizens with a capacity of 50 per cent. However, inter-provincial transport will be completed closed on Saturday and Sunday.