The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) Monday issued guidelines for holding Milads and Seerat-un-Nabi (PBUH) conferences in the month of Rabi ul Awal.

A meeting of the NCOC, chaired by the Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives Asad Umar, urged individuals and organisations concerned to strictly implement the coronavirus Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) throughout the holy month.

According to the SOPs defined by the NCOC for milads and other religious events, the venues should be open and spacious where a six-feet distance in the seating arrangement must be ensured.

Events organised at mosques and other spots should have thermal screening, sanitisers, and arrangements for washing hands at the entrances while the availability of face masks should be ensured at every venue. The NCOC also directed people to avoid physical contact with sacred objects.

 The NCOC decided that only licensed and government-approved rallies and events will be allowed and made it mandatory for the scholars and naat reciters to be fully vaccinated before attending Rabi ul Awal events.

It suggested the government and private media houses hold the events live so that more people could partake in the celebrations without having to physically attend them.