Pakistan Railways to ban unvaccinated passengers from September 15

• Railways' employees directed to get the first jab by September 15 and second by October 15.
• People with single dose can travel till September 15 and by October 15, only fully jabbed to be allowed.
• The check on SOPs has improved at railway stations, spokesperson for railways says.

People who have not been vaccinated will not be able to travel via railways in the country from September 15 onwards, a spokesperson for the Pakistan Railways said Wednesday, as the authorities ramp up curbs to increase vaccinations.

The spokesperson said people who have received a single dose can travel after September 15, while from October 15, only fully vaccinated people will be allowed to get on board.

The spokesperson said the check on coronavirus standard operating procedures (SOPs) has improved at railway stations, while the railways' employees have been directed to get the first jab by September 15 and the second one by October 15.

The National Highways and Motorway Police (NHMP) last month had announced that after September 15, unvaccinated people would not be allowed to travel on the motorway.

The NHMP announced that people should "get ready", get vaccinated before September 15, and carry their vaccination certificates with them.

On August 24, Federal Minister for Planning Asad Umar along with Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Faisal Sultan had outlined curbs for unvaccinated people.

Umar said that a single dose of vaccine is necessary for travelling on the motorway after September 15. He added that after October, no one will be allowed to use the motorways without being vaccinated.

The minister also said that unvaccinated people will not be allowed to use public transport from October 15.

Air travel

Umar also said that vaccination for domestic air travel will be mandatory after September 30.

Shopping malls

Furthermore, unvaccinated people will not be allowed to enter shopping malls from August 31 and from September 30, only those people who will have taken both vaccine shots will be allowed in shopping malls.

Hotels and restaurants

For hotels and restaurants, Umar had announced that from August 31, people with one vaccine shot will be allowed, whereas, from September 30, both shots will be mandatory to access hotels and restaurants.

Marriage ceremonies

Umar announced that those who have not taken both vaccine doses will not be allowed to attend marriage ceremonies, whether they are indoor or outdoor, after September 30.

Mobile app for vaccine certificate

SAPM Sultan said that the NCOC has developed a mobile application in collaboration with National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) to provide vaccine certificates to people.

All people have to do is to submit the required details and their certificates will be generated, Sultan said.

Pakistanis vaccinated abroad too will be able to generate vaccination certificates from the NADRA website starting August 26.

No vaccine certificate, no petrol in Lahore

Earlier today, banners were placed all over Lahore saying that unvaccinated persons will not be provided fuel from September 1.

One banner read: "No vaccination, no service. From September 1, only customers with coronavirus vaccine certificates will be able to buy petrol."