KARACHI: All the trade-related associations of the city have decided to defy Sindh government’s restrictions regarding opening of markets and shops beyond 6pm and announced that they would open all their businesses till 8pm from Saturday (today).

The decision to open businesses till 8pm is considered as a sign of protest against the Sindh government which had set 6pm as closure time for all markets, shopping malls, etc, as part of fresh curbs to stop the spread of Covid-19 cases.

Representatives of the Karachi Tajir Action Committee (KTAC) — Sharjeel Gopalani, Atiq Mir, Jamil Paracha, Mohammad Rizwan Irfan, Hakim Shah, Waqas Azeem and Rana Raees — announced the decision in an emergency meeting after the expiry of their 72-hour ultimatum to the Sindh government.

The traders’ representatives blamed the Sindh government for its “non-serious attitude” saying no government official had contacted them after they gave the 72-hour deadline on June 1.

Besides, they said, the Sindh government did not pay any heed towards the nine demands of trade bodies.

Say markets, shops to remain open till 8pm instead of 6pm

They warned that the city traders would hold protest on roads in case police tried to harass them or seal their markets.

All City Tajir Ittehad Association (ACTIA) president Sharjeel Gopalani said all the trade bodies of the city had come on the same page against the Sindh government’s “anti-business decisions”.

Last month, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah had ordered the district administration and police to ensure strict implementation of 5am to 6pm business timings for all markets, business centres, shopping malls, etc, except bakeries and milk shops that were allowed to operate till midnight.

The government also directed the businesses to observe Fridays and Sundays as closed days.

In the name of implementing chief minister’s directives, district administration and police started harassing Karachi traders, who claimed to have paid millions of rupees in fines for allegedly violating Covid-19 standard operating procedures. Some markets sealed by the administration and police paid hefty bribes to get unsealed, they added.

Perturbed at official high-handedness, traders while giving a 72-hour ultimatum to the provincial government held a press conference in which they demanded that business hours be extended to 8pm; one-day closure during the week instead of two days and powers of magistrates to seal shops and impose fines on traders be curbed.

They had asked the chief justice and the army chief to take notice of what they called an attempt to sabotage trading and business activities in Karachi.

The traders had also met opposition parties, particularly Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, which assured them of their full cooperation.

Published in Dawn, June 5th, 2021