PESHAWAR: The authorities on Saturday hinted at allowing the business activities to resume in the next couple of days.

This was decided at a high-level meeting held here. Besides others, the meeting was also attended by provincial labour minister Shaukat Yousafzai, Peshawar division commissioner Amjid Ali Khan and traders’ representative Malak Mirali Khan, according to a statement.

“In a couple of days the traders will hear good news about the reopening of the markets,” the commissioner told the meeting.

Talking to Dawn after the meeting, Malak Miralai said the traders were asked to prepare standard operating procedures (SOPs) for running the businesses in rotation. He said the clothing and footwear shops could be allowed to open for three days each. The traders’ representative said that they would submit SOPs to the district administration on Monday.

It is worth mentioning here that barring some essential businesses rest of the markets have been closed for last over one month due to the lockdown.

Meanwhile, representatives of various trade bodies on Saturday apprised provincial police chief Dr Sanaullah Abbasi of their reservations regarding the lockdown and demanded an end to arrests and imposition of huge fines on shopkeepers in Peshawar.

The traders’ delegation was led by Markazi Tanzeem-i-Tajiran president Sharafat Ali Mubarak. Senior businessman Mujeeb-ur-Rehman was also part of the delegation.

The IGP assured solution to the problems confronting the traders. He also appreciated the business community’s cooperation with the law enforcement agencies during the lockdown, according to a statement.

The police chief said the business community had played a pivotal role in the country’s economic development. He said police with the active support of the traders’ community would perform their duty as per the SOPs.

Later talking to Dawn, businessman Mujeeb-ur-Rehman said: “We presented our demands to the provincial police chief, which included an end to the arrests and imposition of heavy fines on shopkeepers.”

He said traders requested relaxation in the lockdown, promising to implement the SOPs to ensure protection from Covid-19.

“We are ready to continue cooperating with the authorities in the fight against coronavirus, but the latter should also keep in view our miseries due to prolonged restrictions,” he added.

Published in Dawn, May 3rd, 2020