NCOC proclaims ‘stay home stay safe strategy’ for mobility control from May 8 to 16.
In an attempt to contain a further escalation in already growing the novel coronavirus cases through the upcoming Eidul Fitr, the National Command and Operations Center (NCOC) on Thursday declared holidays from May 10 to 15 with a “clear intention of reducing national mobility”.
The NCOC also banned Chand-rat bazaars, including Mehndi, jewelry/ornaments and clothing stalls.
The statement said that all markets, businesses and shops will remain closed except for important facilities including grocery shops, pharmacies, bakeries, vegetable, fruit, chicken and meat shops and fuel pumps.
The central government had previously announced a new set of limitations, including a blanket ban on tourism and inter-provincial transportation.
According to the Ministry of Interior, recent restrictions also included the closure of all tourist resorts, hotels, cafes, shopping centers, parks, beaches, and other local places from May 8 to 16.
Travel nodes leading to the tourist destinations, mainly the attractive valleys of Murree, Swat, and northern Gilgit-Baltistan region, which fascinate hundreds of thousands of people from across the country during Eid holidays, will also remain closed during the said period, the ministry added.
A complete ban will be examined on inter-provincial and inter-city transportation during the Eid holidays, excluding for the residents of Gilgit-Baltistan, who will be allowed to travel to their hometowns.
