How will Pakistan implement Smart-Lockdown even as COVID-19 cases rising
How will Pakistan implement Smart-Lockdown even as COVID-19 cases rising
Saadullah Akhtar
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QUETTA: Uzair Malik who works as a Manager in Quetta’s famous shopping mall in Balochistan province trying to implement on Government’s Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) by barring customers who didn’t wear masks and gloves from entering in shopping malls at Quetta’s Gulistan Road in order to curb Coronavirus spread.

“Following Government strict directives, in order to implement on Smart-lockdown, we have been disinfecting elevators and other place of our shopping mall regularly since government announced smart-lockdown and restored business activities.” Uzair Malik said.
“Security guards outside the entrance intercepting customers coming without covering their faces with masks and gloves and we have placed hand-sanitizers outside the mall while all shops owners have clear directions to not allow more than four customer inside their shops.” Uzair Malik added.
An estimated 2000 to 3000 customers regularly visits the famous mall for shopping but during Eid season public rush increases up to 5000 particularly after Aftaar, “Balochistan Government has allowed business activities from 3am to 5pm which would decline customer’s number because people used to come for entertain themselves with a large number of family members would refrain from coming in our mall.”Mr. Uzair Malik added.


Following the decision of Prime Minister Imran Khan and his Federal cabinet, all four provinces in Pakistan eased countrywide COVID-19 lockdown with strict SOPs, despite the country, has been witnessing rise in active cases of contagious Coronavirus.
The Johns Hopkins University data show that Pakistan has reported 32,081 positive cases of COVID19 with 706 reported deaths since the outbreak of Coronavirus in the country last February.
Many Health experts in the country defying federal and provincial government’s decision of easing lockdown expressing concerns that Pakistan has been entering in the 3rd phase of COVID-19 hence smart-lockdown likely turn the crisis out of control from hands of doctors and health staff battling with Novel Coronavirus.
Balochistan province which has 2061 active COVID-19 cases with 27 reported deaths has been already plagued by poor healthcare.
Director General Health Balochistan Dr. Saleem Abro predicted that by 2nd week of July total active cases in Balochistan would be increased up to 1.1 million, “By December 2020 the active COVID-19 cases might climb up to 9.1 million, if people continue avoiding safety precautions in Balocshitan.”Dr. Saleem Abro said in a news conference last week when governments in Pakistan were planning to lift lockdown.
What could make smart-lockdown effective in Pakistan?
Many technology companies in Pakistan corroborated government’s smart lockdown decision by emphasizing on use of technologies calling government and commercial establishments to avoid wait and see attitude in the global pandemic.


Mohsin Iqbal Co-founder of Wusool Pakistan has introduced non-contact body temperature measurement device in the country demanding co-existence along with COVID-19 in order to restore business activities in countries like Pakistan already facing spiraling economic challenges.
“Global economic giants the United States, China and companies like Amazon have been deploying Thermal Imaging, facial recognition and artificial intelligence technologies in order to combat this global pandemic thus Pakistan should deploy technology based devices in prevention of Novel Coronavirus.” Mohsin Iqbal told Daily Balochistan Express.
“Cost-effective solutions are available which could be utilized in commercial and public-sector,” Mohsin Iqbal said, “Though we have been slowly moving toward use of modern devices in combating this global pandemic but Federal Government should take immediate measures to yield Pakistan out from the current chaotic situation.”
When asked dozens of positive patients didn’t suffering from COVID-19 symptoms including high-fever, Mr. Iqbal replied, tech-companies have been working on advancement but high-temperature has been proven as prime symptom of Novel Coronavirus, “New devices will be available in near future that would be able to recognize other symptoms as well among suspected patients.”
Back to Quetta’s street customers entering in shopping malls and markets seen willing to follow COVID-19 safety precautions in order to avoid spread of the fatal virus and add their contribution in reprieving the country from this global pandemic staking their future.