KARACHI: Sindh education minister Saeed Ghani announced that shopping malls and markets will reopen in the province in accordance with the orders of the apex court.
Expressing in a talk show at a private channel, the minister said that he was not aware if the Sindh government had contacted the health ministry regarding this. “But since it’s in the SC’s orders, we will open shopping malls and markets, we have no other option.”
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Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmed had issued directions to reopen shopping malls across the country, in a court order on Monday.
During a hearing of the suo motu proceedings regarding measures taken to deal with the coronavirus crisis, Justice Ahmed had questioned the “logic” behind keeping malls closed.
Read more: Shopping malls, markets to remain open entire week: SC
Ghani clarified that the decision to close shopping malls and plazas in an effort to curb the spread of the virus was not taken by the Sindh government, rather Centre had presented a proposal for closing shopping malls, plazas and large markets during a meeting of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on May 6.
He added that even though the Sindh government had formulated SOPs to curb the spread of the virus for opening small markets, people were still flouting rules and putting peoples’ lives at risk.
He added that the Sindh government hoped the SC would not take any decision that will endanger the lives of the people, announcing that “markets will remain open till 5pm only as the SC has directed,” and that the provincial government will impose restrictions in the space afforded to them under the apex court’s orders.
