Government of Balochistan has allowed public transport to operate in the province after detailed consultation of transport unions and the Government of Balochistan.

This was announced by the spokesperson for Balochistan Government, Liaquat Shahwani in Quetta. Addressing journalists, the spokesperson said that coronavirus cases started to spread rapidly in the province including in the far-flung remote areas. Therefore in order to restrict the movement, the government had to ban all public transport along with imposing lockdowns across the province.

The spokesperson further stated that the government lifted restrictions on markets when the traders agreed on the implementation of SOPs but initially the markets failed to implement the required SOPs. He further added that the transporters were requesting the government for allowing them to operate as well but the requests were not accepted only for limiting the movement of the public.

Shahwani further added that from Friday, the situation in markets has improved as traders and citizens have realised the importance of taking precautions therefore on the request of transporters, a conditional permission has been given to public transporters.

The transporters have to comply with all SOPs that include no passengers without masks, availability of sanitizers and maintaining the distance between passengers by leaving one seat vacant. A taxi car cannot take up more than three passengers while an 18 seater van can only take ten passengers. The bigger busses shall be allowed only if they board half the available seats.

Failure to maintain SOPs could result in fines or even taking the permission back, he concluded.