ICTA refuses to reopen schools, hotels

The district administration on Friday decided to keep all educational and technical training institutions, seminaries, shrines, marriage halls and hotels of the federal capital closed until further notice.

A notification in this regard was issued by the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Administration Deputy Commissioner Hamza Shafqaat on Friday.

The notification was issued after rumours started circulating in the city that educational institutions, religious seminaries and other establishments could reopen from July 4.

The notification stated that business centres, Expo Halls, amusement parks, play areas and arcades, beauty parlours and spas, cinemas, and theatres shall remain closed.

Restaurants and cafes will also remain closed, but their takeaway and home delivery services will continue.

There shall be a complete ban on indoor and outdoor sporting tournaments, contact sports, indoor clubs, indoor gyms, and sports facilities. There shall also be a complete ban on gatherings of all kinds including social, religious or for any other purpose at any place, public or private.

All businesses, factories, facilities, premises, retail shops, shopping malls and plazas, except for those mentioned in a negative list, will be allowed to operate subject to the adoption of standard operating procedures (SOPs), until 8pm from Monday to Friday.

There shall be complete lockdown on Saturday and Sunday, except for some essential facilities around the clock. These include all medical services and pharmacies, medical stores, tyre shops, fruit and vegetable shops, tandoors, flour mills, postal and courier services, truck stops, filling stations, oil depots, liquefied petroleum (LPG) outlets and filling plants, agriculture machinery workshops and spare parts shops, printing press, call centres (with 50% staff and no public dealing), inter-city transport, grocery stores and churches.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 4^th, 2020.