RAWALPINDI: According to officials on Thursday, businesses in the twin towns of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, including restaurants, cafes, and marriage halls, will be closed for a period of five days.
The decision to close them from October 12 to October 16 was decided in consideration of the security protocols being put in place in advance of the October 15–16 Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit.
The summit of the SCO, which has nine full members—China, India, Iran, and Russia among them—is slated to happen in Islamabad. Prior to the summit, Chinese Premier Li Qiang is anticipated to arrive in the city.
Additionally, merchants and hotel owners have received notifications from the police informing them that any infractions will result in sanctions.
A three-day public holiday in October has already been announced by the administration.
