The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) has issued new restrictions for major cities with high Covid-19 positivity and higher disease spread potential, as part of stage two of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs).

The new guidelines, which will apply to Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Multan, Hyderabad, Gilgit, Muzaffarabad, Mirpur, Peshawar, Quetta, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Faisalabad, Bahawalpur and Abbottabad from tomorrow, include:

  • Rs100 fine will be imposed on those not wearing a face mask and they will be provided three masks on the spot
  • Indoor weddings will be banned starting Nov 20; outdoor weddings will be allowed with a maximum of 1,000 people permitted to attend
  • 50 per cent staff of all public and private offices will be asked to work from home
  • "Relatively broader" smart lockdowns will be imposed in hotspot areas.

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