The National Coordination Committee (NCC) meeting, which was supposed to take important decisions on easing the lockdown and review the situation arising out of coronavirus pandemic on Wednesday, will now be held on Thursday, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

Although it was announced after the federal cabinet meeting on Tuesday that the NCC meeting will take place on Wednesday, but the gathering was postponed for a day.

The meeting to be chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan will be attended by federal cabinet members, the chief ministers of the provinces and Gilgit-Baltistan as well as top military officials.

The NCC will consider the decisions taken by the federal cabinet about gradually relaxing the lockdown as well as the issue of reopening the domestic flight operations.

According to sources, the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) will present its recommendations on easing the lockdown, which are to be prepared on Wednesday.

There is a strong possibility that the business centres would be opened on May 10 around the country, as the NCC is also expected to approve the SOPs in connection with easing the lockdown.

Meanwhile, the prime minister will take the nation into confidence about decisions taken by the NCC.

Earlier on Tuesday, the federal cabinet decided to ease the lockdown imposed since the outbreak of the coronavirus outbreak.

Imran hinted at the gradual lifting of the lockdown but also stressed that strict enforcement of guidelines in everyday life would also be very important.

The meeting unanimously agreed that the lockdown should be relaxed in phases, but the final decision would be taken by the NCC.

Interestingly, the decision was taken on the very day when the Balochistan government extended the lockdown for 15 days till May 19, citing the rise in coronavirus cases.

The provincial government spokesperson, Liaquat Shahwani, told media that Balochistan had very few ventilators and limited testing capability.

He also admitted that the number of confirmed coronavirus cases would increase exponentially if more people were tested around the province, as there were only two labs in the province to handle the tests.