KARACHI: Sindh Trader Alliance Chairman Jameel Paracha on Thursday rejected the Sindh government’s decision of closing all markets on Friday amid the coronavirus pandemic.

While addressing a press conference along with other Karachi traders, Parachi rejected the provincial govt order of closing all markets at 6 pm and announced that businesses will remain open on Friday in Sindh including Karachi.

Paracha warned that traders will put up resistance if police come to enforce the decision. “If we were not allowed to open businesses on Friday (tomorrow), the traders will stage a sit-in in front of Chief Minister (CM) House,” he added.

The traders have demanded the government to allow their shops to open at 10am and conclude daily operations at 8 pm.

Atiq Mir, President All Karachi Tajir Ittehad also rejected Covid-19 restrictions for businesses imposed by the PPP-led Sindh government and gave a 72-hours deadline to the provincial govt to withdraw the notification.

On November 23, the government issued a notification announcing that all businesses and markets will be allowed to open from 6am to 6pm and weekends will be off. All businesses, except essential services, will not be allowed to operate on weekends.

Sindh on Thursday reported 1402 new cases of coronavirus and 19 deaths by the Covid-19 pandemic in the province in the last 24 hours, according to Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah.

“Sindh reported 1402 new cases when 10585 tests were performed during 24 hours,” said CM Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah, in a statement on the situation of the pandemic in the province. NNI