KARACHI: Just two days after the lockdown was eased after a 50-day closure, the city administration sealed on Wednesday major markets of the metropolis for violation of the defined standard operating procedures (SOPs) by both traders and shoppers. It triggered brief but strong protests at a few places as a key member of the Sindh cabinet warned that the decision could be reversed anytime to contain the spread of the virus.

Among the commercial centres affected was Zainab Market — a household name in Karachi for garments and other fabric products — where in the second half of the day senior officials of the municipal administration took a round of the commercial area and found no precautionary measures being observed by the traders and the buyers. An official said the situation pushed the authorities to take the strong decision in the larger interest of the people.

“Assistant commissioner Asif Chandio ordered immediately closure of the market and then sealed it,” said an official at the Karachi commissioner office. “The municipal administration visited more than 200 shops and found no salesman at any of the shops wearing a mask. The same case was with the buyers who thronged the market without following the SOPs and neither were they being asked by the traders to follow the government guidelines.”

The action from the assistant commissioner attracted a strong reaction from the traders, who protested against the orders of closure and sealing of the market which they claimed had just started providing relief to hundreds of daily wagers after the 50-day lockdown.

Police disperse traders agitating over the closure

Heated debate

A heated debate was observed between staff of the assistant commissioner office and the traders forcing the police to intervene and disperse the angry mob.

The AC also took the same action against Victoria Market and International Market on Abdullah Haroon Road where also the violation of SOPs was declared as the reason behind the city administration’s move.

The traders alleged that the administration took a harsh decision without any warning and negated the impression that all shopkeepers were violating the SOPs.

Traders at another known market of the city, Gul Plaza, which offers a variety of local and imported products ranging from garments to household cutlery and toys to appliances, also faced the same action.

Assistant commissioner of Garden Asma Batool, after visiting the market and issuing a warning on the first day of regular business after relaxation in the lockdown, decided to close the plaza on Wednesday.

“The assistant commissioner ordered immediate closure of the market and issued directives to seal the facility till further orders. Another market in the area called Arham Shopping Centre also faced the same fate,” said an official at the Karachi commissioner office.

The Sindh government stood firm behind the fresh decision by the city administration as a key minister of the provincial cabinet and close aide of Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah again asked the traders and buyers to follow the SOPs or be ready for a “harsh decision”.

“The SOPs that have been devised for the purpose of business activities must be followed in order to save human lives,” said Sindh Information and Local Government Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah in a statement. “The Sindh government has allowed the business community to do business activities in accordance with the designed SOPs but it has been observed that neither the traders nor the people are following them, which is not acceptable.

“The government will also reverse the lockdown relaxation decision if the violation of SOPs did not stop.”

He said nothing was more important than people’s lives and appealed to the traders and people of the province to ensure implementation of the SOPs in order to protect everyone from the coronavirus.

Published in Dawn, May 14th, 2020