Provisional Industries and Trade Minister Mian Aslam Iqbal met with a delegation of traders at Punjab Information Technology Board Office on Monday.

The delegation was headed by President Pakistan Traders Association Haji Tahir Naveed. The delegation members thanked the government for easing lockdown and granting permission to do business.

The delegation members demanded that timings of markets should be increased and permission to do business till Chand Raat should also be granted. The delegation members admitted that few lapses did occur with regard to implementing SOPs but ensured him to implement them fully in future.

The Minister while addressing the delegation members said that implementation on SOPs is not difficult and there is need of determination only. Aslam Iqbal urged the traders to ensure implementation on SOPs and government is ready to extend all sorts of cooperation.

He further asserted that traders should do away with encroachments in front of their shops otherwise administration will launch strict action. The Minister assured them to place the matter pertaining to increasing timings of markets and granting permission to do business till Chand Raat before NCOC meeting.

He further emphasized that government will formulate uniform policy and will take everyone along.

Mian Aslam Iqbal exhorted the shopkeepers to ensure wearing of masks in the markets and should not deal with the customers who are not wearing masks. He further added that shopkeepers should provide masks to the customers.

The traders' delegation included Haji Muhammad Khalid, Sheikh Idrees, Muhammad Shahzad Mughal and others.