Markets defy weekend closure order

Authorities fail to effectively enforce coronavirus standard operating procedures

LAHORE: Traders in several areas of the provincial capital on Saturday defied the government orders to keep non-essential businesses closed for two days on the weekend under the standard operating procedures (SOPs) imposed to curb the spread of novel coronavirus.

The authorities responsible to enforce the SOPs played the role of silent spectators despite the seriousness of the threat posed by the pandemic.

It has learned that the traders, without bothering to act upon the government’s SOPs, kept open their markets in different areas of the province despite the coronavirus spread on its full swing.

The government’s claim that the instruction to keep closed the markets on Saturday and Sunday would be implemented at any cost fell flat as trade continued in the markets at the routine pace.

The shopkeepers claimed that their businesses had been ruined and it had become an uphill task for them to meet their expenses because of the lockdown and pandemic.

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On the other hand, the consumers shared varying views about the closure of markets. Some claimed the government had completely failed in controlling coronavirus but they were unable to understand why the markets are being kept closed rather that ensuring safety measures in them.

Some said it was not the duty of only the government to control the pandemic and the citizens would also have to protect themselves.

Markets in Daroghawala, Mozang, Anarkali, Shahdara, Johar Town, Wapda Town, Misri Shah and several other areas remained open. Some shopkeepers ran their business behind closed shutters, while others kept their shops open.

Muhammad Nasir, the proprietor of a mobile phone shop, said he lived in a rented house with four children. These two days in a week were important for his business as most people, especially from the middle class preferred to complete their pending works on the weekend, he said. He asked how he would run expenses of his house if he kept his shop closed for two days a week. He said he was wearing face mask and had sanitiser for keeping clean his hands. He said the government should focus on implementing the SOPs like mask, gloves and social distancing as it had done during the Eid days.

Muhammad Jameel, a consumer, said he is at a loss to understand the logic of the government having allowed opening of markets and shops on Eid days and closing them now when there was routine business.

Another customer, Rehan Malik, said no harm would come if the SOPs were implemented rather than closing the shops. He proposed heavy fines on shops found violating the SOPs.

A citizen, Haji Lal Din, said the government should not have allowed the markets to open during Eid holidays, but now the shops were being closed after the virus had spread.

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Nasir Ali, the owner of a paint shop, said people were more worried about the steps being taken by the government rather than the disease. He said the government had failed to implement a comprehensive strategy against the pandemic. The same situation was still continuing, he added. He said closure of markets was tantamount to punishing the people. He said strong media campaigns should be run for strict implementation of the government’s SOPs and heavy fines imposed on the violators.

He said the customers should also be punished if they violated the SOPs in markets and masks, gloves and sanitisers should be compulsory for them. There should be heavy fine on those who visited markets along with their children, he added. He said strict implementation of the precautionary measures by the government was needed.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 14^th, 2020.