ISLAMABAD: The government’s plan to close all markets in Punjab for nine days, from Tuesday till August 5 received backlash and anger from traders, who announced that they will be resisting this measure.
Soon after the issuance of market closure notification, a large number of people flocked the market, and even caused gridlocks at the main crossings of Murree Road and in Raja Bazaar. The traders rejected the government’s move and announced that they would not pull their shutters down, no matter the reaction from the authorities.
One of the traders, influential in the traders’ community, Sharjeel Mir, said in a video message that when the government started the lockdown to combat the corona virus, the traders launched an awareness campaign and supported the safety measures to contain the spread of the virus.
He acknowledged that the government had earlier accepted a traders’ demand and started the smart lockdown. “But this time, we can’t afford more lockdowns when the Covid-19 cases are decreasing.” He said that traders had already suffered huge losses due to the closure of businesses and could not afford another lockdown. “If the government insisted on the nine-day lockdown, the traders will strongly resist it.”
Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) President Saboor Malik said traders had faced a huge financial crisis amid the lockdown. Addressing a press conference at the RCCI office, he said the government’s decision to close markets from July 28 to August 5 would plunge traders into more financial difficulties. “We cooperated with the government to cope with the pandemic when the first lockdown was announced but it would not be easy for the traders to go for a nine-day lockdown on the eve of Eid ul Azha,” he said, urging the government to review its decision.
Meanwhile, the business community of Islamabad also rejected the smart lockdown in the capital and closure of markets in Punjab and announced to resist it. All Pakistan Anjuman-i-Tajiran and Traders Action Committee Islamabad President Ajmal Baloch along with the Punjab president of the traders’ body Malik Shahid Ghafoor Paracha reacted sharply to the lockdown announcement.
Addressing a press conference at the National Press Club along with Khalid Chaudhry, Taj Abbasi and Sajid Butt, they termed the decision of the Punjab government unjustified. “If it is done, the business community will put up full resistance and the responsibility for the situation will be on Chief Minister Usman Buzdar,” Baloch said.
He said that Federal Minister for Information Shibli Faraz had recently announced that there would be no more lockdowns. Baloch also referred to the statement of Prime Minister Imran Khan supporting smart lockdowns. “But this decision of the nine-day lockdown is unjustified,” he added.
