KHAR: The Bajaur tribal district’s main cattle market, which had been closed for about one and a half months as part of measures to contain coronavirus, was reopened on Saturday.

Residents and cattle dealers told this correspondent that the weekly cattle market held on Saturdays in Sadiqabad town here resumed trading after remaining closed since March 18.

“We don’t know how the cattle market/weekly fair was reopened, but it was closed at 2pm by the local police,” they said.

When contacted, an official of the administration confirmed reopening of the cattle market after it remained shut for about one and a half months.

He said that the government had allowed reopening of all the cattle markets in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from Saturday. However, the official said that the administration had asked the contractor to strictly follow the government’s SOPs in the market to contain the spread of Covid-19.

He said the duration of trading had also been reduced and as per the SOPs the market would remain open till 2pm. He said the officials had also visited the market to check implementation of the SOPs.

Published in Dawn, May 3rd, 2020