Pakistan has witnessed a decline in the number of coronavirus cases after the government implemented a "smart lockdown" in various cities, said Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.

He made the remarks during a telephone conversation on Wednesday with his United Arab Emirates' counterpart, Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, reports Radio Pakistan.

Qureshi further said that with the steps being taken by the government, coronavirus recoveries in Pakistan has outnumbered new cases.

Earlier this month, the government imposed the smart lockdown in 30 cities in a bid to control the virus while minimising the economic impact.

In June, officials had said lockdowns lasting at least two weeks would come into force wherever at least 300 cases of COVID-19 had been confirmed.

As of Thursday, the total number of COVID-19 cases in Pakistan stood at 268,815, while the death toll increased to 5,702.

 (IANS)