ISLAMABAD: The National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) on Friday issued guidelines for marriage halls to hold wedding ceremonies amid strict compliance of standard operating procedures (SOPs) and safety guidelines.

The NCOC meeting was briefed that marriage halls have been reopened from 15 September in view of overall positive results of government's smart lockdown policy about COVID-19.

The Forum was told that being a very high risk sector, it has the potential to increase positivity at National level, if COVID-19 SOPs were not followed.

Therefore, in order to reduce chance of disease spread from this high risk sector, in depth deliberations were done at NCOC and guidelines had been formulated and shared with federating units for strict implementation in marriage halls.

NCOC advised the organisers of marriage halls to ensure 300 individuals for indoor gatherings and 500 individuals for outdoor gatherings.

It also noted that event duration should not exceed from two hours with culmination by 2200 hours (10pm).

Moreover, in view of SOPs violations, marriage hall would be closed for a specified time alongside imposition of heavy fine.

In order to afford sufficient time for alternate venue, closure on account of SOPs violations to take place after two weeks from date of closure ordered by Civil Administration.

"Marriage hall owner will be bound to reimburse complete amount, received on account of advance booking to families which reserved the subject marriage hall" The Forum was told that due to prevalence of COVID-19, large scale public gatherings were banned in most of the countries around the world.

Being high risk activities, such gatherings had the potential to cause exponential increase in disease spread.

However, if some public gatherings were unavoidable then these must be organized with strict compliance of SOPs; for which currently deliberations were underway to be subsequently decided at NCC.