The National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) on Wednesday expressed its concern over the surge in COVID-19 cases and took notice of the violation of coronavirus SOPs in several sectors following the relaxation of curbs, reported 24NewsHD TV channel. 

The NCOC met under the chair of Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar. The forum expressed serious concerns over the violation of SOPs at restaurants, in-door gymnasiums, marriage halls, transportation, markets, tourist spots, among other sectors.

In the NCOC meeting, chief secretaries from all the provinces participated and reviewed the violations. The meeting came up with a strict mechanism to enforce SOPs, and to ramp up the vaccination drive in the country.

https://twitter.com/OfficialNcoc/status/1412642018212331523 

In a statement, the NCOC said: “The western border with Afghanistan was closed on June 5 due to increasing number of coronavirus cases in Afghanistan and after that Pakistani and Afghan nationals stranded on both sides but emergency patients and students would be given special permits and special arrangements have been made for the return of Pakistanis stranded in Afghanistan at Chaman and Torkham border.”

Pakistanis who have received both doses of the vaccine must be quarantined for 3 days if they test positive for corona. 

Earlier, the NCOC warned to take strict actions during a meeting held on Monday. The NCOC after consultation with all federating units has already increased the number of vaccination centres in the provinces.

A total of 59 centres have been increased, with 15 in Punjab, 10 in Sindh, 14 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, four in Balochistan, five in Islamabad and six in Gilgit-Baltistan.