COVID-19 lockdown: Karachi traders threaten to launch 'Jail Bharo' movement

KARACHI: Karachi traders on Wednesday threatened to launch a jail bharo (fill the jails) movement if their demand to resume businesses in the metropolis during COVID-19 lockdown is not accepted, ARY NEWS reported.

“If our demands are not accepted, we will be launching a jail bharo (fill the jails) movement,” said that Sindh Tajir Ittehad leader Jameel Paracha during a joint presser of different trade organizations.

He said that the traders would reopen their shops from the first day of the Ramazan. “We will not meet any negotiating team or minister of the provincial government,” he said.

Electronic Dealers Association leader Rizwan Irfan said that Sindh government was only trying to buy some time by trying to engage the traders in talks.

“They have no sympathy towards the miserable condition traders and labourers are going through at this time,” he said.

Another trade leader Illyas Memon said that both the federal and provincial governments want to cripple the businesses. “Thousands of labourers have become unemployed due to closure of shops,” he said adding that they were in no position to pay their utility bills and taxes.

Read More: Karachi traders irked as deadline to resume businesses expires

It is pertinent to mention here that earlier in the day, President All City Tajir Ittehad was taken into custody by local police on Wednesday over allegations of defying coronavirus lockdown restrictions.

The police took President All City Tajir Ittehad Hammad Poonawala into custody along with four others.

The traders had forcibly opened shops disregarding government orders, the police therefore took action and ‘Iron Market’ area of the metropolis was completely shut down.

All City Tajir Ittehad members have claimed that the police roughed them up and forced them to shut down shops.