Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar has said that the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) has once again recommended to ban all large public gatherings.

"Rapid increase in positivity requires urgent steps to save lives and livelihoods. Since mid-October, when [the National Coordination Committee] first considered the NCOC recommendation to ban large public gatherings, daily cases have nearly tripled," he said.

"The national political leadership across the political spectrum needs to demonstrate leadership to send a message to the entire nation for taking preventive steps and following [standard operating procedures]. Consensus needed in NCC for taking this decision which has been delayed due to a lack of consensus," he added.