Traders' alliance announces to open all markets in Sindh from tomorrow

KARACHI: Sindh Traders Alliance Chairman Jamil Ahmed Paracha on Tuesday announced to open all markets across the province from April 15 (Wednesday) amid coronavirus pandemic, ARY News reported.

Addressing a press conference in Karachi along with other traders’, Jamil Paracha said that traders have cooperated with the Sindh government amid pandemic by closing all markers for 28 days, but now the markets across Karachi would be opened from April 15 as lockdown had suffered a huge loss to traders.

He said the owners are not in a position to pay salaries amid zero sales, adding that if the lockdown was not lifted the traders will be forced to sack employees.

“If we were not allowed to resume business activities from tomorrow, the traders will utilize the second option by staging a sit-in in front of Chief Minister (CM) House,” he added.

Paracha said that Sindh governor Imran Ismail and CM Sindh are responsible for the whole situation as they announced to address concerns of traders, but no one from them had contacted us.

He said that they will resume activities by adopting all protective measures.

“Will keep all precautionary measures in mind while re-opening businesses,” he said, adding that the government had failed to provide for the daily wagers.

On the occasion, President Small Traders Mehmood Hamid said that markets in Karachi will be open from 9 am to 5 pm.

It is pertinent to mention here that the federal government had extended the lockdown till April 14 to curb the spread of COVID-19 besides finalising a solid strategy to cope with the impact of the pandemic.