In Pakistan, the government of Punjab province, could block the sim cards of people who refuse to get the coronavirus vaccine. The Express Tribune reports that as the country ramps up its inoculation drive against the novel coronavirus pandemic, the Punjab government had last Thursday decided to propose the idea to the National Command and Operation Centre .

Punjab Health Minister, Dr Yasmin Rashid, said that unvaccinated individuals might also find themselves banned from parks, restaurants and malls.

The NCOC had supervised the national effort against the pandemic, and must pass approval before the measures could be implemented. Rashid said “Once approved from the NCOC, we would devise a timeline for the execution.” The Health Minister added, “We are doing all we could to compel people to get vaccinated. We are taking vaccination facilities to their doorsteps.”

Punjab’s mass vaccination campaign has a three phase strategy, namely: voluntary vaccinations, obligatory vaccinations for public and private sector employees, and incentivized vaccinations. Rashid said, “People who have got vaccine jabs have the right to return to their normal lives.”

Punjab province had opened up a walk-in vaccination facility to all citizens above 18 on Friday.

Umm Muhammed Umar