Islamabad: Due to the rising cases of COVID-19 in Islamabad and its vicinity, the Islamabad Capital Territory Administration (ICTA) on Saturday announced new shop closure timings for the city, a news source reported. To discourage public gatherings, all shops and food outlets are now required to close at 5 pm.
According to an official, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Muhammad Shafqaat has directed the police to ensure that all shops within various city markets close by 5pm. He added that only pharmacies and takeaway shops would have permission to remain open after the said closure time.
In a previous notification, the district administration had allowed shops — specifically grocery stores — to remain open until 8pm; instead of the previous 10pm deadline. The latest decision to close shops earlier comes in light of the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in Islamabad.
Additionally, the DC also chaired a separate meeting of the district price control committee. During the session, attendees agreed to fix the prices of essential commodities in order to facilitate the public during the ongoing coronavirus crises.
