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ISLAMABAD: The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) has decided to ban inter-provincial transport on weekends from April 10.
“In a session held at the NCOC, it was decided to ban inter-provincial transport for two days a week (Saturday and Sunday) with effect from April 10 to April 25. However goods, freight, medical and other emergency services will be exempted,” announced an official statement.
It was also decided that the railways would continue to operate seven days a week, with 70 percent capacity according to SOPs.
Participants of the NCOC meeting decided to review the situation on April 20 when they would meet again to discuss whether the inter-provincial transport ban should be withdrawn or extended.
On Friday, a taskforce on Covid-19 in Sindh province decided to approach the NCOC, seeking a two-week ban on inter-provincial transport.
“We are not in favor of a lockdown. We only want a ban on inter-provincial transport so as to break the cycle of the cases by restricting the movement of people,” Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said while addressing the task force’s meeting.
The Sindh education department on Sunday also announced suspending physical classes in all public and private schools for 15 days across the province starting Tuesday (April 6).
“The decision was taken in view of the rising Covid-19 cases across the province,” said Sindh Minister for Education Saeed Ghani on Twitter.
Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood also announced that the NCOC will take a decision with regard to suspension of usual educational activities on Tuesday.
“Education and health ministers [of all provinces] will meet at the NCOC Tuesday [tomorrow] to decide whether to open or further close educational institutions.
“The exam situation will also be discussed. Whatever is decided will be a collective decision of the country’s health and education authorities and NCOC,” Mahmood said in a social media post.
In view of the third wave of the coronavirus, the government on March 10 ordered closure of all schools in Covid-19 hotspots for two weeks from March 15. The closure was extended in high-risk areas and specific districts of the country till April 11.
