Visitors throng tourist spots as coronavirus shutdown ends
TLTP
PESHAWAR
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on Sunday decided to reopen restaurants, gyms and all other business activities in the province from Monday (today), as proposed by the National Coordination Committee.
According to a KP Home Department, all restaurants will be allowed to reopen from Monday, while marriage halls and schools will remain closed across the province. All types of public transport will be resumed from Monday, whereas, permission must be obtained from concerned administration for holding religious activities, according to a home department statement.
The KP govt has decided to reopen businesses in light of the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) decisions.
Meanwhile, the visitors thronged the tourist attractions after the government allowed all major tourist spots to open after the coronavirus closure.
Soon after the announcement by the government to open tourist spots, tourists started heading to Swat, Murree, Nathia Gali and Thandiani among other tourist destinations as tourism resumed on Saturday.
Massive traffic jams were witnessed on roads leading to these breathtaking spots due to a high influx of visitors. Pakistan had shut tourism in March after coronavirus cases began emerging in the country.
On Thursday last, Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar had announced that the government has decided to reopen dine-in restaurants, cafes, cinemas, parks and gyms from August 10 after a nearly five-month closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic. All schools and other educational institutions in the country will reopen from September 15.
The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) has instructed the local administrations of Gilgit-Baltistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Kashmir to ensure that all tourists wear face masks to avoid any potential spread of COVID-19.
