ISLAMABAD: Public transport has come to a standstill in 24 districts of the country including Lahore and Peshawar as the authorities enforced new NCOC guidelines in order to stem the spread of coronavirus among them a ban on public transport on motorways.
The passengers faced utter disappointment as bus and lorry terminals were shut with authorities also banning public transport on motorways.
People travelling in their own vehicles have been asked to produce vaccination certificates when on the road.
The inter-city transport in 15 districts of Punjab including Lahore has come to a halt until September 12.
The new restrictions also came as a surprise for travellers as they faced hopelessness at bus terminals while the taxi drivers making hay when the sun shines started to demand exorbitant fares from the passengers.
Getting tough, the provincial government sealed leading bus terminals in Lahore including Road Master, Niazi Express, Abdullah Travellers and Faisal Movers Terminal for violating coronavirus SOPs.
The National Highways & Motorway Police (NHMP) has announced that after September 15, unvaccinated people will not be allowed to travel on the motorway.
Amid the ongoing fourth wave of the coronavirus pandemic, the government and its departments have accelerated vaccination efforts across the country.
The NHMP announced that people should “get ready” and “get vaccinated” before September 15 and carry their vaccination certificates with them.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) had issued a new set of guidelines regarding coronavirus vaccination certificates for passengers travelling on domestic and international flights.
The CAA has made the coronavirus vaccination certificate mandatory for travelling on domestic and international flights from October 01. The passengers will not be able to travel on any flight without showing the vaccination certificate.
According to the new guidelines, passengers over 17 years of age will not be allowed to board any plane without showing the coronavirus vaccination certificate. However, the passengers below 17 years of age and the patients will have exemption after showing the medical certificate. The CAA has ordered all airlines to observe the new SOPs.
Furthermore, unvaccinated people will not be allowed to enter the shopping malls from August 31 and from September 30, only those people who will have taken both vaccine shots will be allowed in shopping malls.
For hotels and restaurants, from August 31, people with one vaccine shot will be allowed, whereas, from September 30, both shots will be mandatory to access hotels and restaurants.
It was also announced that those who have not taken both vaccine doses will not be allowed to attend marriage ceremonies, whether they are indoor or outdoor, after September 30.
