Islamabad markets to remain closed on Friday and Saturday as per new NCOC instructions

Islamabad's administration has revised days for commercial activities under the National Command and Operations Centre's (NCOC) recommendations that will continue till April 11.

The District Magistrate's Office in a notification stated that all commercial activities, institutions, and areas will close by 10 pm on weekdays and will remain completely closed on weekends i.e. Fridays and Saturdays.

Indoor dining in restaurants has been prohibited, but, outdoor dining is allowed till 10 pm on weekdays only. However, both indoor and outdoor dining will be prohibited in the capital on weekends, but takeaway and home delivery will be allowed.

The notification said, "50% work from the home strategy will be applied in ICT with immediate effect whereas the cinemas and shrines will stay closed.

The prohibition applied on indoor gatherings will continue, while outdoor events will be allowed with a gathering of a maximum of 300 persons till 10 pm by strictly following the COVID-19 SOPs and a duration of two hours.

According to the notification, there will also be a complete ban on activities such as sports, festivals, culture, and other events.

The intercity public transport will now function at 50% of its capacity.

On the other hand, all medical services including pharmacies and medical stores, tire puncture shops, fruit and vegetable shops, tandoors, atta chakkies, postal and courier services will remain open throughout the week, without any time restrictions.

Also, petrol pumps, telecom services, LPG outlets, agriculture machinery workshops, spare parts shops, the printing press can work without restrictions.

Read more Islamabad sees 25pc drop in Covid-19 cases over the weekend

According to Islamabad's district health officer the capital recorded 460 cases in the last 24 hours, with a positivity rate of 8.8% which is the lowest this week.