Caretaker Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi has telephoned the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) chief and suggested shutting down banks on Friday and Saturday in view of the worsening smog situation.
During the phone call, the chief minister informed State Bank of Pakistan Governor Jameel Ahmed about the serious situation related to smog.
He also requested Mr Ahmed to keep the banks closed on Friday and Saturday in eight districts of the province.
The SBP governor agreed with the chief minister’s proposal.
This development was confirmed by Mohsin Naqvi himself also while talking to the media in Lahore.
He said the SBP governor was asked to keep the banks closed over the weekend.
Sources in the Punjab government said the banks will remain closed on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
Naqvi further told the media that Jameel Ahmed was supposed to respond in the evening.
“There will not be a lot of strictness on Iqbal Day on Nov 9,” he stated, adding there will be strict action on Friday and Sunday.
The CM further said the next four days were very important in terms of smog, adding that all institutions were busy working day and night.
“Citizens are requested to stay home for three days,” Mohsin Naqvi stressed, adding that the traffic on the roads will be equal to none.
