ISLAMABAD: After achieving the target of vaccinating 40 per cent of the population, the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) has recently decided to ease restrictions in eight cities of Pakistan.
The restrictions were decided to be in effect till Sep 30. After seeing the situation under control, Asad Umar, Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, and NCOC in a press conference, decided not to extend the confinements further.
Asad Umar said that they had given targets to 24 cities to vaccinate 40 per cent of their population. Among them, eight cities achieved the targets, hence decided to relax restrictions there.
Among the eight cities, not a single town was from Sindh. The minister said that the cities were Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Quetta, Peshawar, Mirpur, Muzaffarabad, Gilgit and Skardu.
While sharing details of relaxations in the eight cities, Asad Umar said the number of participants for indoor gatherings would be increased from 200 to 300, and outdoor gatherings have been increased from 400 to 1,000 from Oct 1.
He said that shrines in those eight cities had been opened to vaccinated people while cinema halls and indoor dining had been allowed for vaccinated people throughout the week. In other cities, restaurants had to close dining once a week. Wedding ceremonies would also be held throughout the week in those eight cities.
