QUETTA: Over 200 shopkeepers and traders were taken into custody by police here on Sunday for opening their shops and businesses despite the lockdown imposed by the local administration to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The traders opened shops, markets, shopping malls and other business establishments in the morning despite the deputy commissioner’s order to close down all business centers and markets.

Police along with Frontier Corps personnel and area magistrates conducted raids in main city areas and forcibly closed down all major markets, shopping malls and bazaars. Police arrested shopkeepers and traders who offered resistance or refused to close their business. After security forces’ action, all shops, markets and shopping malls were closed.

“We will not allow anyone to open shops, markets and shopping malls and would implement the orders of the home department regarding lockdown,” Deputy Commissioner of Quetta Aurangzeb Badini announced.

Police and FC personnel had established check-posts at more than a dozen places at the entry points of commercial areas to stop people from coming to these areas. People were asked to stay home during the lockdown. Heavy conting­ents of police and FC were patrolling in and around the city.

Police-traders clash reported from Turbat

Some trouble was also reported from Turbat where traders and police clashed over the opening of shops and other business establishments. Police took action and forcibly closed down shops.

Commissioner of Makran division Shah Farman Ghar­sheen said that lockdown would be implemented as decided by the National Command and Operation Centre to stop spread of coronavirus as many Covid-19 cases were being reported from the division.

On the other hand, President of the Central Anjuman Tajran Balochistan Abdul Rahim Kakar has condemned the police action and arrest of shopkeepers and traders.

Speaking at a press conference in Quetta, he said that the city shopkeepers voluntarily closed their shops on Thursdays and Fridays and according to the agreement reached with the local administration opened shops on Saturdays and Sundays.

How­ever, this Sunday the local administration along with police started action against the traders who were sitting in their shops.

“Over 200 shopkeepers and traders were arrested and taken to different police stations,” he claimed.

He rejected the government decision to impose complete lockdown and announced that to register their protest, the shopkeepers and traders would stage a sit-in on Monday (today) in front of ‘red zone’.

“If shops will close, then Chief Minister House would also close,” Mr Kakar said and added that through lockdown the government wanted to economically destroy the traders and shopkeepers. He asked the government to allow markets and shopping centres to remain open round the clock because it would prevent overcrowding there.

Mr Kakar appealed to the political parties to support the traders and shopkeepers to save them from economic disaster.

On Saturday, Balochistan government spokesman Liaquat Shahwani had warned the people of strict action if they did not follow standard operating procedures (SOPs) issued by the authorities to curb the spread of coronavirus.

Mr Shahwani said the violators of SOPs would be arrested if they did not wear face masks. The Central Anjuman Tajran Balochistan had announced the other day that its members would continue to open their shops, markets and shopping malls in Quetta and other areas of the province.

President of the Anjuman Abdul Rahim Kakar said that the traders and businessmen could not afford to shut their business as they had already suffered huge losses last year when the government had enforced a complete lockdown.

“We are following SOPs issued by the authorities,” he said and asked the people to observe SOPs while visiting markets for shopping.

Published in Dawn, May 10th, 2021