Following the imposition of time restrictions in a bid to conserve energy and reduce power load-shedding, the government has decided to impose a lockdown on all business activities, except emergency and essential services, on Sundays.
Lahore Deputy Commissioner Omer Sher Chatha, on Tuesday, issued a notification stating that “Sunday will be observed as a closed day for all commercial markets, plazas, shops (wholesale and retail), shopping malls, bakeries, confectionaries, offices, store rooms, godowns, warehouses, etc in district Lahore.”
The notification highlights that the business and trade community will be informed about the latest decision. The local administration issued the notification after seeking a clarification from the Punjab Labour and Human Resource Department.
Earlier, on Monday, the Lahore deputy commissioner issued a notification imposing a restriction to close all markets, shopping malls and business centres at 9:00pm except on Saturdays.
Pharmacies, hospitals, laboratories, milk shops, petrol pumps, motorway service areas and tire repair shops are exempted from the restrictions.
The district administration has also constituted special teams, comprising of Metropolitan Corporation Lahore (MCL) and other agencies’ officials, to close all commercial activities in the city at the notified time. Local administration and police teams remained active in markets to ensure strict implementation of the government decision from Monday.
Deputy Commissioner Chatha has appealed to citizens to cooperate with the district administration and close their businesses at the notified time to avoid legal action.
All Pakistan Anjuman Tajiran general secretary Abdul Razaq Babbar said the trading community has no reservation about the closure of businesses on Sunday as one weekly holiday should be observed. However, he indicated that such restrictions would encourage corruption as it had been alleged that police officials received bribes from traders and shopkeepers and allowed them to open their businesses during the coronavirus lockdowns.
However, a trader, Muhammad Asif, pointed out that small shops in neighbourhoods and streets remain in business on Sunday for some hours. “We have better sales on Saturday and Sunday as most offices are closed and people get their other works done,” he added.
After the Sindh government, the Punjab government is also set to close down businesses early in a bid to conserve electricity to save the country from going deep into electricity crisis, however, a notification of the decision was not issued till the filing of this report.
According to the Chief Minister Office, the Punjab government has decided to shut down markets at 9pm and eateries at 11:30pm for six days a week, while wedding halls will be closed at the same time -- 10pm – for the entirety of the week.
The markets and eateries will be given a relaxation on Saturday, when they will be allowed to open for as long as they desire. The decision was taken during a meeting presided over by Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz with traders of the province.
The proposals given to the provincial government were kept before traders who were then asked to present theirs. According to the CM Office, these proposals were mutually agreed to by all segments of the traders’ community.
According to a handout issued by the CM Office, “Chief Minister Hamza, after holding consultations with the office-bearers’ delegation of the traders’ community, announced the closure of markets, bazaars and business centres of the province at 9pm.”
Published in The Express Tribune, June 22nd, 2022.
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