Covid: Pakistan tourist areas closed till May 16 amid surge in cases

Islamabad - The mobility control measures being implemented across the country from May 8 to 16.

During the meeting of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Sunday, the Chief Secretaries of administrative units that have popular tourist destinations requested the Pakistan tourism industry to remind everyone that tourist areas were closed till May 16 and any tourist still going there would be refused entry amid surging coronavirus cases in the country.

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According to a statement, a special NCOC session, chaired by Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar and Lt Gen Hamooduz Zaman Khan, reviewed the mobility control measures being implemented across the country from May 8 to 16. All Chief Secretaries were also in attendance, reported Dawn.

"Review of SOPs implementation during May 8 to 16 was carried out. During this duration, all markets, businesses and shops will remain closed except essential services including grocery stores, pharmacies/medical stores, medical facilities and vaccination centres, vegetable, fruit, chicken and meat shops, bakeries, petrol pumps, food takeaways and e-commerce (home delivery), utility services (electricity, natural gas, internet, cellular networks/telecom, call centres) and media," the statement said.

It further said that there would be a complete ban on tourism for both locals and outsiders.

"All tourist resorts, formal and informal picnic spots, public parks, shopping malls, all hotels and restaurants in/around tourist/picnic spots will remain closed during this duration," it added.

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The statement said bookings of all hotels had been cancelled and ban on inter-provincial, inter-city and intra-city public transport would be imposed, except on private vehicles, taxis/cabs, rickshaws with 50 per cent occupancy, reported Dawn.