Sindh govt holds successful talks with traders on lockdown

The MQM on Friday successfully mediated between traders and the Sindh government vis-à-vis the coronavirus lockdown in the province.

As a result, the talks between the Sindh government and the traders succeeded. It was decided at the talks, which continued for three hours, that small businesses would reopen in Sindh from May 11 as per the standard operating procedures (SOPs) to be issued by the Sindh government over the weekend. The ministerial committee would present the report on the talks to Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and the Sindh government would issue SOPs within the next 48 hours.

According to the SOPs, businesses will open from Monday, May 11, at 5am and close at 5pm five days a week. There would be a complete lockdown on Saturday and Sunday. Only small business would open as per the SOPs and action would be taken against the traders violating the SOPs.

MQM leaders Kunwar Naveed Jameel, Khawaja Izharul Hassan and Wasim Akhtar mediated between the Sindh government and the traders after a meeting with the Sindh chief minister.

Sindh Education Minister Saeed Ghani said later that small markets would reopen from Monday and the provincial government would request the federal government to review its decision to reopen large shopping malls and markets. He said that a meeting of all trade organisations has been convened at the commissioner’s office on Saturday, May 9, to finalise the SOPs for small businesses before they reopen on Monday.