Traders ask govt to lift lockdown

PESHAWAR: The traders here on Saturday asked the government to lift the lockdown as the business community could no longer afford to shut down markets.

Talking to reporters, Traders Alliance Peshawar President Ghulam Bilal Javed said that no-one was in favour of lockdown but they had no option when the coronavirus cases increased in Peshawar.

However, he said the decision to impose lockdown from May 8 to 16 was imposed on the traders, adding that they did not want any extension in the lockdown.

Ghulam Bilal asked Chief Minister Mahmood Khan to lift the lockdown and open markets in a phase-wise manner with strict enforcement of standard operating procedures introduced to limit the spread of the Covid-19.

He said the traders were not in a position to sustain any more loss and wanted the government to lift the restrictions to save them from losses.

He added he had sent several letters asking the authorities to lift the lockdown, but he was yet to receive any positive reply.

He complained that the government has provided no relief to the traders in the form of tax exemption or loan repayments.

Ghulam Bilal said that many workers would lose jobs if the lockdown period was extended. He said the traders should be allowed to do business.