MULTAN: All Pakistan Anjuman Tajiran announced that they will open all markets across the country from today (Wednesday).
However, Deputy Commissioner Aamer Khattak said they will not allow this. Negotiations between the administration and the traders body were under way till the filing of this report.
The body’s Central Chairman Khwaja Muhammad Shafiq released a video statement on Tuesday, saying that due to the lockdown and closure of business, small traders have been suffering.
He said that the industry and specific shops have been allowed to open – that will attract gatherings of people, questioning why small traders, who were in a vulnerable position, are not allowed to do their business.
“In the prevailing circumstances, we have decided that the traders will open their shops across the country while adopting all required precautionary measures to control the spread of the virus.”
Meanwhile, Markazi Tanzeem Anjuman Tajiran South Punjab General Secretary Khawaja Zeeshan said that although they had reservations over the government’s decision to extend the lockdown without consulting them, they will follow the instructions and not open their shops.
Published in Dawn, April 15th, 2020