Strict lockdown if SOPs defied, says minister

LAHORE:Punjab Minister for Industries and Trade Mian Aslam Iqbal Tuesday warned re-imposition of lockdown following the non-implementation of SOPs in Lahore markets by the traders.

In a meeting with the traders at Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the minister rebuked the traders and LCCI leaders on failure of the SOPs on the first day of the resumption of business activities in the City markets.

“We have opened the markets on the request of trader community but traders did not live up to our expectations”, the minister said lamenting that seeing the crowd of people in Anarkali, Township, Icchra and other markets presents horrifying spectacle.

Aslam Iqbal condemned that traders did not act upon SOPs and put the lives of citizens at stake for the sake of minting little money. He warned that if SOPs were not implemented in letter and spirit then re-imposition of lockdown could not be averted.

Aslam Iqbal apprised that corona cases had surfaced in few markets and the government would close them down again. He urged traders to fully implement the chalked out SOPs and should also depute security guards at the entry points of the markets.

He said that traders would also ensure corona tests of their staff members to be conducted in the markets. The minister appealed to the citizens to abstain from bringing children in the markets and also exhorted the trader community for adhering to precautionary measures.