Traders demand extended timings

Markets were allowed to function till 7pm but violations of the timing and SOPs were rampant

LAHORE:

Reacting over the government’s decision to impose a smart lockdown ahead of Eidul Azha, traders have urged it to keep their businesses open for extended hours.

Trader leaders from various city markets, including Anarkali, Mall Road and Shahalam, called on Punjab Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar to request extension of permitted business hours ahead of Eidul Azha holidays. They asked the governor to permit the trading community to run their businesses for all days of the week from 9am to midnight ahead of the Eid holidays.

Meanwhile, on sacrificial animal traders and farmers’ demand, the local administration has already extended the timings of cattle markets and sacrificial animal sale points till 10pm to reduce crowding of customers as the trade has started gaining momentum during the past couple of days.

Earlier, the markets were allowed to function till 7pm but violations of the timing and coronavirus prevention SOPs were rampant.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 27^th, 2020.