A notification that has been circulating on social media since yesterday stating that liquor shops in three Islamabad hotels — Marriot, Serena and Best Western — will reopen with immediate effect is fake, Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Hamza Shafqaat has said.

The notification, purportedly issued by the Excise and Taxation department, stated that "moreover, necessary arrangements may be made regarding protection of staff and also ensure maintenance of social distancing."

When contacted, Islamabad DC said that the notification was "fake".