ISLAMABAD : The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday issued a notice to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Covid-19 on a petition challenging a ban on gatherings at wedding halls.

A single bench comprising Chief Justice Athar Minallah directed the official respondents named in the petition to submit their comments on the petition by November 18.

Justice Minallah questioned whether the coronavirus was not spreading because of big public gatherings being held by political parties.

On November 6, the NCOC placed a ban on gatherings at wedding halls. However, it allowed people to hold weddings in open spaces with a maximum of 1,000 attendees.

The decision was aimed at stemming the second wave of the coronavirus. Besides, the NCOC called for cutting workforce at government and private offices in half. It instructed that only 50 per cent of the employees be allowed to work at offices while the rest from home.