Asad Umar says dine-in restaurants, salons, cinemas to reopen from Aug 10 across Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Dine-in restaurants and beauty salons would reopen across Pakistan from August 10, Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar said Thursday in a televised address, as the efforts against the coronavirus pandemic seem to bear fruit.

A review on the decision to reopen educational institutes on September 15 would be done on September 7, Umar added.

The minister was speaking in a televised address to the nation as the head of the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC), the primary body overlooking the efforts against the coronavirus pandemic in Pakistan.

The relevant and revised standard operating procedures (SOPs) would be finalized in two days, he explained.

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Here's a list of dates that various businesses and establishments would be allowed to reopen:

• Education: Sept 15, subject to another review meeting on Sept 7
• Tourism: Aug 8
• Restaurants (dine-in): Aug 10

• Cinemas & theatres: Aug 10

• Public points: August 10
• Gyms: August 10
• Marriage halls: May be opened by Sept 15 

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Umar added that sports and games would be allowed to resume but without spectators, while pillion-riding was also permitted. Travelling in public transport while standing, however, will not be allowed, he said.

While beauty parlors, expo centres, and shrines were being allowed to open, he warned that people should follow the SOPs in large gatherings at the shrines and seek permission from the administration beforehand.

However, the restrictions on passengers in trains and planes were to continue until September.

"Passengers will be able to travel on the airplanes in a normal manner from October 1," Umar said. "The situation was brought under control with the cooperation of the people.

"If we see a change in the attitudes of the people, this situation may change [further]. The SOPs related to Muharram have been set up in consultation with the ulema [religious scholars]," he added.

Speaking of the 'smart lockdown' and claims the world was learning from Pakistan, he said: "There was an article on how the Philippines is learning from us."

"This is all that we have achieved so far," he said.

The minister explained that the Prime Minister Imran Khan's PTI government had kept certain sectors and economic activities shut down till now but considering the aforementioned praise, the coronavirus numbers, and consultations, debates, and discussions between the NCC, NCOC, and the provinces, some new decisions had been made.

The relevant and revised standard operating procedures (SOPs) would be finalised in two days, he explained.

However, "if we see a change in the attitudes of the people, this situation may change [further]. The SOPs related to Muharram have been set up in consultation with the ulema [religious scholars]," he added.