Major markets in Lahore sealed after violation of SOPS

Major markets in Lahore were sealed by the district administration on Wednesday for violating Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) issued by the provincial government to stem the rapid spread of COVID-19 in the country.

The move from the district administration comes after the authorities visited the markets to inspect the implementation of the precautionary measures and found the shopkeepers violating SOPs issued by the government.

The authorities sealed 45 shops in Shah Alam Market and others in Azam cloth market and Anarkali bazaar for defying SOPs and disregarding guidelines put forward to contain the spread of the virus.

In response, the shopkeepers resisted the operation and said that they were fully complying with all issued SOPs by the authorities.

After receiving reassurance from the traders that the SOPs would be followed, the district administration permitted the traders to reopen the shops.

The administration also directed the traders to ensure that the employees and the buyers should use sanitisers and wear safety masks while practising social distancing inside the premises of the shops.

Moreover, children and elders should be barred from entering cramped markets, the administration added.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Karachi police had sealed the city's major markets — including Zainab Market — over the shopkeepers' failure to adhere to safety protocols to guard against the spread of the coronavirus.

After the government announced an ease in restrictions beginning May 9, all major retail outlets and markets had rushed to open stores on Monday.

The past two days have witnessed a flurry of shoppers throwing caution to the wind and rushing to acquire much sought-after goods with Eid-ul-Fitr fast approaching.

Neither shopkeepers nor customers were seen taking necessary precautions such as wearing masks and using sanitisers frequently. In view of these violations, the city's police had sealed all major markets, much to the chagrin of shopkeepers who had been looking forward to selling their wares after a two month hiatus.