RAWALPINDI: The garrison city returned to normal after a four-day Eid break with markets reopening on Thursday along with government and private offices.

The Punjab government has issued directives to traders to close markets for three days from Friday to Sunday. Under the new standard operating procedures (SOP) to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, all shops will open from 9am to 5pm Monday to Thursday and stay closed from Friday to Sunday.

Fewer customers were seen in the city’s markets, which shopkeepers attributed to the hot weather, saying people typically visit markets in the evening.

The traders have also criticised the government’s directives, as they want to open their shops seven days a week from 9am to 6pm.

Rawalpindi Traders Association President Sharjeel Mir toldDawnthere was “no logic” to closing markets from Friday to Sunday.

Traders unhappy with timings under new SOPs

“The federal government has closed shops on Saturday and Sunday, but the Punjab government is closing shops three days a week,” he said.

He claimed that traders would adopt all the necessary precautions if they are allowed to do business seven days a week, and they will also adopt the 9am to 6pm timetable forever. He said: “No shops will open in the markets in the evening,” he said.

He said the traders would record their protest with the Punjab government and a delegation of traders will meet with Rawalpindi Commissioner retired Capt Mohammad Mehmood in this regard.

Mr Mir said traders had suffered in the last two months and could not afford to pay their shops’ utility bills and meet other expenses. He said that although traders opened their shops during Ramazan, they did not earn enough to recover their losses.

Commissioner Mehmood said the government has issued directives to close shops three days a week, which will be implemented.

He said the business community was granted permission to open shops in Ramazan so people could do business and buy items to celebrate Eid.

He said the government was monitoring the post-lockdown situation and would make a decision regarding a lockdown in Covid-19 cases increase in the next week.

Published in Dawn, May 29th, 2020