Islamabad, May 31 (IANS): The Pakistan government has declared wearing of masks mandatory at crowded places, markets and in public transport, as the number of COVID-19 cases in the country shot up to 68,544, with 1,447 deaths.

"As 92 per cent cases have been reported through local transmission, we have declared the use of masks mandatory in markets, shopping malls, public transport, commercial flights, trains and crowded places," Dawn news quoted Special Assistants to the Prime Minister, Zafar Mirza as saying on Saturday.

About measures being taken to bring back stranded overseas Pakistanis, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on National Security Division, Moeed Yusuf said: "We were bringing 1,000 Pakistanis daily but now it has been decided to bring 2,000 per day. From 1st to 10th June around 20,000 stranded Pakistanis will be brought.

"Of them 8,000 will be brought from the United Arab Emirates and 4,000 from Saudi Arabia. We will soon introduce policy for the stranded Pakistanis due to which they would be able to reach Pakistan without any difficulty."

Till date over 33,000 stranded overseas Pakistanis had been brought from over 50 countries, he added.

While talking about resumption of routine flight operations, he said that only flights from Pakistan to other countries had been allowed and it was incorrect to say that anyone could come to Pakistan through routine flights.

Yusuf said borders with China and India would remain closed though some hundred Pakistanis were allowed to return from India in three intervals, reports Dawn news.

"As per agreement of Afghan Transit Trade goods are being sent to Afghanistan. As NATO supply also goes there, around 250 trucks are being allowed through Torkham and Chaman borders daily. Moreover, once in a week 500 Pakistanis are allowed to return through Torkham and 300 through Chaman border," he said.

He said there was no restriction on the Afghan nationals staying in Pakistan to return to their home country.