Islamabad, Aug 10 (IANS): Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has urged citizens to refrain from flouting standard operating procedures (SOPs) during Muharram despite a reduction in the number of COVID-19 cases.

Speaking at a ceremony here on Sunday, he said: "Today Pakistan is among those few countries that have successfully managed to control the pandemic.

"This is a time for precaution. If God has blessed us, we need to be thankful, and wear a mask."

Muharram is one of the most important months for Muslims and marks the start of the Islamic New Year.

According to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) data, the number of tests, which had dropped to around 11,000 during Eid-ul-Adha holidays, has increased again, with 23,390 people having been tested across the country during the past 24 hours, reports Dawn news.

In Sindh, 10,001 people were tested for COVID-19, followed by Punjab with 7,114, Islamabad 2,931, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 2,314, Balochistan 697, Gilgit-Baltistan 117 and in Azad Kashmir 216 people.

As of Monday, the totoal number of confirmed cases in Pakistan stood at 284,660, with 6,097 deaths.