By Asad Cheema
ISLAMABAD: Former President ICCI and leader of the business community Shahid Rasheed Butt on Monday lauded the Supreme Court of Pakistan for ordering the reopening of shopping malls across the country that were shut down during the lockdown to avoid the spread of deadly coronavirus.
The decision was taken by a five-member larger bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmed regarding measures taken against the virus outbreak. The bench also comprised Justice Mushir Alam, Justice Sardar Tariq Masood, Justice Mazhar Alam Khan and Justice Qazi Amin.
Shahid Rasheed Butt said that Apex Court has rightly observed that shopkeepers will ‘die of hunger rather than the coronavirus’ as prolonged lockdown resulted in the suffering of the business community and the staff at shops and malls who were finding it very difficult to make both ends meet.
The trading community is highly thankful to the honourable judges who have ordered that the sealed markets should be opened and shopkeepers should not be harassed. The CJP has noted that the SOPs will be better implemented at the big shopping malls, therefore the administration should follow it in letter and spirit, he demanded.
The apex court also ordered that on the weekends, all the small markets should remain open to the public which is a great move keeping in view the problems of the masses, business community, and the upcoming occasion of Eid, he said, adding that it will help is bring down the number of visitors.
He said that the court has observed that markets should remain open on Saturday and Sunday, as opposed to the current system in which markets are only open four days a week. “Coronavirus does not go anywhere on Saturday and Sunday,†the court has observed, he said adding that there was no reason behind keeping markets closed on Saturday and Sunday as it only added to the problem of masses and the trading community reeling under the current dismal situation.
The Supreme Court has won hearts and minds of millions of people who will get relief from the decision which can be termed as an Eid gift by the court, he said.
