Pakistan

Locals openly defy SOPs in Pindi

Administration seals 66 shops, restaurants; imposes fines worth over Rs100,000

Our Correspondents April 26, 2021

A man walks in a market, unbothered by his mask flying to the side. Health officials have ascribed the rise in Covid-19 cases to citizens’ refusal to follow SOPs. PHOTO: REUTERS

RAWALPINDI/ISLAMABAD:

Despite the rising coronavirus positivity rate, the residents of the garrison city continue to violate anti-Covid standard operating procedures (SOPs). Markets and restaurants are operating throughout the night with eateries being thronged by foodies till Sehar.

As a result of this, the Rawalpindi administration sealed 66 shops and restaurants, including a snooker club, and imposed fines worth over Rs100,000 on the violators while four people were also arrested and cases were registered against them.

The action was carried out at Kartarpura, Kohati Bazaar, Bani Chowk, Kashmiri Bazaar, Khayabane Sir Syed, Satellite Town, and Commercial Market Road on different shopping centres, local markets, hotels, and shops.

Rawalpindi is among those districts in Punjab which has experienced a surge in coronavirus cases and to curb the virus spread, strict restrictions had been imposed. There is a complete ban on indoor and outdoor dining while the markets are supposed to be closed on Friday and Sunday.

However, the pathogen has not been able to intimidate the residents. Hardly a few people could be seen wearing a face mask or maintaining social distancing while outdoor dining continued at several eateries.

The administration conducted 30 inspections in intra-city public transport and imposed fines of Rs4,000 while 144 shopping malls and plazas were also examined out of which 52 were sealed and penalised Rs55,000. The administration further inspected 65 restaurants and hotels and sealed 16 of them. They were also fined Rs43,000, collectively.

Traders continue outcry

The traders’ community of Islamabad expressed the notification regarding new restrictions on business activities has put a stamp of decline on Pakistan’s economy.

All Pakistan Anjumane Tajiran (APAT) and Islamabad Traders Action Committee President Ajmal Baloch and Secretary Khalid Chaudhry criticised the new restrictions on business activities enforced by the government to curb the spread of the virus.

In a joint statement issued on Sunday, they questioned how the economic condition of the country could improve if there would be no business. They also criticised getting bypassed before the issuance of notification and said that the government should have taken them into confidence before putting new restrictions on business activities. The traders took strong exception against the imposition of fines and sealing of shops and said that it would neither help to control inflation or curb the virus’ spread.

They noted that the administration shut down all general stores, except for utility stores, in the federal capital. They called for Federal Planning Minister Asad Umar to take notice of the discrimination and expressed that the provision of equal business opportunities was the responsibility of the government.

The traders called for the administration to take all stakeholders in the loop for the preparation of the price control list. They said that there was no control on prices in wholesale markets let alone the implementation of any SOPs.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 26^th, 2021.