Pakistan: Wearing masks made mandatory in Islamabad amid rising COVID cases

Islamabad [Pakistan], March 14 (ANI): Amid a worsening coronavirus situation in Pakistan, the Islamabad administration on Saturday made the wearing of masks in public mandatory, reported Geo News.
Pakistan's coronavirus situation has taken a turn for the worse, with total cases zooming past 600,000 to hit 602,536 in the last 24 hours.
The district administration has warned that legal action will be taken against those found not wearing a mask, adding that the mask-wearing rule will remain in place for the next two months.
Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) has been put in place for the implementation of the rule, the Deputy Commissioner of Islamabad, Hamza Shafqat said.
Additionally, five sectors of Islamabad have been declared coronavirus "hotspots" and will be sealed.
Earlier this week, Minister for Planning and National Command and Operation Centre chief Asad Umar had said "there is no doubt that the third coronavirus wave has begun".
Separately, Rawalpindi imposed new restrictions, including on markets, which will now be required to shut down by 6 pm, starting Monday.
Meanwhile, in Multan, a ban was imposed on Jashn-e-Baharan and public gatherings.
Wedding ceremonies are allowed so long as they take place in open-air venues and the number of guests is limited.
Shops, like in Islamabad, will require shutting down by 6 pm and indoor dining will no longer be allowed, reported Geo News.
Moreover, the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) convened a meeting to discuss the worryingly high number of coronavirus cases in Pakistan.
The meeting also discussed the spread of the new UK variant in Pakistan and said that a week to observe the strict implementation of safety measures will begin from Saturday, reported Geo News. (ANI)