Markets to be closed again if violation of guidelines continues: Nasir Shah

• He appealed to the people to exercise caution during their visits to the markets, adding that, there was a danger of huge losses if they did not care
• "It's a contagious disease that spreads rapidly from one person to another and if we are not careful, there will be a lot of problems," he said.
• Syed Nasir Hussain Shah said that the federal government not only approve the Sindh government's Coronvirus Relief Ordinance, but also implement it across the country.

KARACHI: Sindh Minister for Information, Local Government, Housing &Town Planning, Religious Affairs, Forest and Wildlife Syed Nasir Hussain Shah has said that all the shopkeepers who were not complying with the agreed standard operating procedures had been warned that if they continue to do so, their shops would be closed.

The Provincial Minister said that it was very unfortunate that the business leaders were not fulfilling the promises they made during their meeting with Sindh Chief Minister. He said that if the Sindh government by taking care of the business community had allowed them to open their businesses, then they also had an obligation to keep their promises.

He also appealed to the people to exercise caution during their visits to the markets, adding that, there was a danger of huge losses if they did not care. He said that the Coronavirus was not over yet, instead it had been estimated that the number of infected people has been increasing since the softening of Lockdown. "It's a contagious disease that spreads rapidly from one person to another and if we are not careful, there will be a lot of problems," he said.

Syed Nasir Hussain Shah further said that if the situation remained such that neither the shopkeepers nor the people were careful, then it would be difficult for the government to continue with partial or the soft lockdown. He said that the general public and businessmen should not force the government to re-impose full lockdown with their reckless behavior.

He said that Sindh government wanted the businesses to continue and people to get maximum facilities, but in this regard the government needed full cooperation of business community and general public. He said that after receiving the financial relief from the International Monetary Fund, Asian Development Bank and G20, it was the duty of the federal government to create facilities for the general public.

The Provincial Information Minister said that at present there was a serious problem of food security all over the world, while the exports were also declining and business community was struggling, adding that, the federal government should consider and see that in such a situation what possible relief could be provided to the people. He said that the federal government would have to take positive and practical steps for food security.

He said that although the federal government announced the agricultural package but did not implement it, on the other no effective steps had been taken to eliminate locusts despite repeated requests. He said that Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had also urged the federal government to provide relief to all provinces. He said that if the federal government paid serious attention, they could control the rapid spread of the Coronavirus in a much better way. He said that small businessmen and shopkeepers would have to be given financial relief.

Syed Nasir Hussain Shah said that the federal government not only approve the Sindh government's Coronvirus Relief Ordinance, but also implement it across the country. He said that the Sindh government through its Coronavirus Relief Ordinance wanted to provide relief to the poor in school fees as well as in utility bills.

The provincial minister said that this was the time when we should support each other instead of criticizing each other. He said that if we worked together, it would be possible to get rid of the Coronavirus pandemic soon, otherwise everyone would suffer. "Now it's our choice to either get rid of the pandemic together, or to deal with the damage that can't be remedied soon," he said.

Copyright INP, 2020