Sindh Traders Alliance announced on Tuesday to open markets from April 15 between 9 am to 5 pm which had been continuously closed since March 21 due to the province-wide lockdown.
Chairman Sindh Traders Alliance Jamil Paracha while addressing a press conference in Karachi with other traders in attendance made the announcement. He said that the traders of Sindh had extended their full cooperation with the government during the lockdown to curb the spread of COVID-19 by ensuring closure of all markets for 28 days.
Paracha said the traders had suffered extreme losses during this period. They were not able to pay salaries due to the complete shutdown of business and were on the verge of sacking their staff.
“If we were not allowed to resume business activities from tomorrow, the traders will utilize the second option by staging a sit-in in front of Chief Minister (CM) House,” he added.
Paracha said that traders were expecting that Sindh governor Imran Ismail and CM Sindh Murad Ali Shah would address their concerns, but no one from them had contacted us.
He, however, said that traders will adopt all protective measures as issued in an advisory by the government.
“Will keep all precautionary measures in mind while re-opening businesses,” he said, adding that the government had failed to provide for the daily wagers.
On the occasion, President Small Traders Mehmood Hamid said that markets in Karachi will be open from 9 am to 5 pm.
