KARACHI: Amid serious reservations of traders and businessmen, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Friday declared that the authorities would begin enforcement of the government decision to ‘rationalise’ business hours of markets, shopping malls and wedding halls from Nov 1.

Calling it the “beginning of modern Karachi”, the chief minister said markets across the city and marriage halls across the province must be closed by 7pm and 10pm, respectively. However, both traders and wedding halls owners had their doubts over practicability of the plan and feared that the government might have to face embarrassment when it came to application of its move.

The chief minister ordered the Karachi commissioner to meet traders, the owners of shopping malls and wedding lawns as well as market associations to convince them to implement the decision about business hours. “This will not affect their business but [will be] in the interest of everyone,” he said, asking the commissioner to also involve deputy commissioners and assistant commissioners in negotiations with the traders. He directed the city police chief, Additional IG Mushtaq Maher, to support the divisional and district administration in this regard.

One-dish policy to be revived as part of austerity measures; decisions come into effect next month

It would help to improve day-to-day life in the city, said Mr Shah while presiding over a meeting at CM House. He said that when people would consider his decision with peace of mind they would find a lot of benefits of starting and finishing their work early, as this would save their personal energy, electricity and unnecessary rush on roads.

“My contention is very simple start your work at right time and complete it well in time,” said Mr Shah.

As a measure of austerity, he said, he also decided that marriage halls should serve only one dish that meant rice, curry and naan with salad and sweet. He observed that marriage functions at clubs, wedding halls and hotels usually started very late and continued till late night. Besides, he said, there was no limit of dishes being served ostentatiously at wedding parties.

“To begin with, I have decided not to attend those wedding functions where more than one dish will be served,” the chief minister declared.

He said the new timing of marriage halls and one-dish policy would be implemented across the province of Sindh with the same spirit.

The date for implementing the plan was fixed by the chief minister in consultation with other participants in the meeting including minister for industries Manzoor Wassan, adviser to the chief minister on labour Saeed Ghani, law adviser Murtaza Wahab, additional chief secretary (development) Mohammad Waseem, Additional IG Mushtaq Maher, Karachi commissioner Ejaz Ali Khan, DIGs and deputy commissioners.

However, traders and owners of marriage halls came up with strong reactions to the move and blamed the government for taking the decision without taking them onboard.

“This is not the first time the Sindh government has taken this decision,” said Ateeq Mir of Karachi Tajir Ittehad while speaking to Dawn. “They had done that twice and both times failed to make the move a success. The government could have reached better decision after taking traders onboard but they never bothered for planned and result-oriented rules. I fear they are going to face embarrassment third time when it comes to implementation of the decision.”

He was of the opinion that the government could not replicate here the trend of European countries where harsh weather conditions did not allow business operation after the sunset.

Referring to the overall social behavior, a representative of the Karachi Marriage Hall Owners Association said people hardly accepted the previous decision to wrap up marriage functions by midnight. “For past many years, more than 450 marriage halls and lawns in Karachi are implementing the timing which was advised by the government and agreed by all the stakeholders,” said Arshad Khan of the association.

“Former home minister Dr Zulfikar Mirza invited all stakeholders and we reached an accord under which the halls and lawns in Karachi have to be closed by 12am. The people initially resisted but gradually accepted the rules and everything is going fine. Suddenly, the government comes up with this [7pm] new timing. We don’t see it practical.”

Despite several attempts by the government and different segments of society in the past, he said the people of Karachi had never agreed to hold the marriage functions before sunset. The decision taken to enforce new timings would affect the spirit of such functions and their business, he added.

In the wake of the government decision, Karachi commissioner Ejaz Khan directed all the six deputy commissioners (DCs) to ensure that all wedding functions in their respective areas were wrapped up by 10pm as per directive of the chief minister.

He asked DCs Saleem Rajput (South); Asif Jan Siddiqui (East); Mohammad Ali Shah (Malir); Asif Jameel (West); Zainul Abideen (Korangi) and Farid Mustafa (Central) to also ensure that that the one-dish policy was followed. Only one dish – including a curry, rice, dessert and tea or soft drink – at wedding parties would be allowed, Mr Khan said.

He added that the owners / operators of these halls be asked to give an undertaking that not only the functions would conclude at 10pm but only dish would be served.

However, the commissioner said that the decision be implemented in a way that bride, groom and their guests were not harassed for any violation.

Published in Dawn, October 15th, 2016