Pakistan on Thursday decided to allow the reopening of restaurants, hotels, cinemas, beauty parlours, gyms and other businesses in the hospitality and recreational sectors by the end of this week – almost five months after they were closed to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic -- in the wake of the decline in COVID-19 cases and fatalities.

Restrictions on the tourism sector, which includes hotels, will be lifted as early as August 8 (tomorrow). Restaurants, cinemas and other businesses as well as shrines and expo centres have been allowed to reopen from August 10. The ban on pillion riding and public transport has also been lifted.

These sectors were on the government’s negative list – meaning they posed a greater risk of spreading the infection.

Wedding halls and educational institutions will be allowed to operate from September 15.

The decision to reopen these sectors was made during a meeting of the National Coordination Committee (NCC) on COVID-19 chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan and attended by representatives from all the provinces.

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