- The Metro Bus service will operate normally until October 13, the official says.
- The bus service will remain suspended between October 14 and 17.
- The SCO summit is scheduled for October 15-16 in the capital.
ISLAMABAD: Metro Bus service will remain closed in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi for four days from tomorrow (October 14) to Thursday due to the high-profile Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in the federal capital.
The decision to suspend bus operations was taken on the directive of the district administration, an official said, adding that the transit service will operate normally till tonight (October 13).
This is another of the many measures taken by the government to ensure that the event of global importance takes place smoothly and without any adverse situation.
Islamabad will host the SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG) meeting with top foreign leaders on October 15-16.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will chair the CHG meeting as the current president.
The prime ministers of China, Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, as well as the first vice president of Iran and the foreign minister of India, will visit Pakistan to represent their respective SCO member states.
The Prime Minister of Mongolia, as an observer State, and the Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, as a special guest, will also participate in the meeting.
The summit will discuss ongoing cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, environment, socio-cultural ties and review the organization's performance.
In a bid to maintain law and order during the SCO summit, Section 144 was imposed in Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Karachi until October 17.
In exercise of the powers conferred by Section 144, the Punjab government has banned all types of political assemblies, meetings, sit-ins, rallies, demonstrations, ride-hailing, aerial shooting, pigeon flying, use of drones and use of laser lights. from October 10 to 17. in Rawalpindi.
Separately, provincial authorities also imposed restrictions on public gatherings under Article 144 in five districts for three days due to security concerns.
The districts include Dera Ghazi Khan, Layyah, Muzaffargarh, Rajanpur and Kot Addu.
While in Karachi, Commissioner Syed Hassan Naqvi imposed a complete ban on any kind of public gathering within the territorial limit of the provincial capital under powers delegated by the Sindh home department.
Meanwhile, the federal government has announced a three-day public holiday for educational institutes in the federal capital territory – from October 14 to 16.
On October 10, officials also announced the closure of wedding halls, restaurants and cafes for a period of five days (October 12 to 16) in the twin cities.
Additionally, police issued notices to shopkeepers and hotel owners, warning that any violations will lead to penalties.
