Pakistanis flock to shops ahead of week-long lockdown

People queue up to receive their first dose of the Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine in Karachi, Pakistan (Fareed Khan/AP)

Pakistan has reported 120 deaths and 4,105 new cases of Covid-19 in a single day ahead of a planned closure of all business and transport for a week starting from Saturday.

Before the lockdown began, thousands of people in every city and town across the country thronged to markets and shopping centres to stock up for Eid al-Fitr, which Muslims celebrate at the end of the holy month of Ramadan. Many did not wear face masks.