ISLAMABAD: The government on Tuesday decided to reopen education institutes across the country from September 16 after the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC), which oversees Pakistan’s pandemic response, reviewed the COVID-19 situation in a meeting, said an official notification.
Earlier this month, the NCOC announced strict restrictions for 24 districts where the coronavirus positivity ratio was considered alarmingly high.
Its members not only reduced the number of these districts to five during the recent meeting but also relaxed some of the restrictions previously imposed in these vulnerable areas.
“All types of education institutes countrywide will follow staggered opening (50 percent attendance, 3 x days a week) from 16th September, 21, onwards,” the notification said.
The decision was made after a “detailed stock of the disease situation in the country, daily hospital admissions and critical care occupancy vis-a-vis requirement of oxygen was carried out.”
The NCOC named Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan, Sargodha and Gujrat in Punjab and Bannu in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as high disease prevalence districts.
According to the notification, market and business activities will only be allowed in these five districts until 8pm, though they will be permitted until 10pm in other parts of the country.
Traders in the vulnerable districts will also be required to shut down their shops on Friday and Saturday, instead of one day a week elsewhere.
The NCOC has continued to maintain strict restrictions on indoor dining, weddings and other gatherings in the five districts.
All religious shrines will also continue to remain closed in these cities.
Pakistan recorded 2,580 new coronavirus cases and 78 deaths in the last 24 hours.
The country began its immunization campaign in last February and has so far fully vaccinated about 21.96 million people.
Pakistan relaxes virus restrictions, to reopen schools from September 16
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Pakistan relaxes virus restrictions, to reopen schools from September 16
- The decision was taken after reviewing the COVID-19 situation in the country, including hospital admissions and oxygen requirement
- The National Command and Operations Center also reduced the number of high disease prevalence districts from 24 to five
Pakistan warns against landslides, avalanches next week amid rain and snowfall prediction
- Westerly wave likely to approach western areas from Dec. 29, persist till Jan. 2, says Met Office
- Pakistan advises tourists to exercise caution while traveling in northern areas during the period
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Meteorological Department on Sunday warned against the possibility of landslides and avalanches in the country’s northern areas next week, as it forecast heavy rains and snowfall in hilly regions.
The Met Office predicted that a westerly wave is likely to approach Pakistan’s western areas from Dec. 29 and strengthen from Dec. 30 onwards. This wave is expected to grip most upper and central parts of the country on Dec. 31 and persist in the upper areas till Jan. 2, the PMD said.
“Possibility of landslides/avalanches in hilly areas of upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir during the period,” the PMD warned.
“Tourists are advised to remain extra cautious and avoid unnecessary traveling during the period.”
The advisory warned that rainfall with wind and thunderstorm and snowfall is likely in Punjab’s Murree and the Galliyat region from Dec. 30 to Jan. 2 with occasional gaps. It also warned of rain with wind, thunderstorms and moderate snowfall in the northern Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir regions during the same period.
The PMD warned of rain with wind and thunderstorms, with moderate to heavy snowfall in upper areas from Dec. 30 to Jan. 1 in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
For Sindh and Balochistan provinces, the PMD warned that rain with wind and thunderstorms with snowfall were expected over hilly areas from Dec. 29-31.
The PMD warned snowfall may cause road closures or slippery conditions in the northern areas of Naran, Kaghan, Dir, Swat, Kohistan, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Shangla, Astore, Hunza, Skardu, Murree, Galliyat and Neelum Valley from Dec. 30 to Jan. 2.
“Fog condition is likely to subside in central/southern parts of Punjab and upper Sindh during the wet spell,” it said.
“Daytime temperatures are likely to drop further in the coming week, particularly after the spell.”
Authorities in the past have urged people to avoid northern areas or exercise caution in travel when weather conditions are expected to deteriorate during the winter season.
At least 21 people, including nine children, died in freezing temperatures after being stuck in their vehicles in the Pakistani hill station of Murree in January 2022 when roads became impassable due to heavy snow.
