KARACHI: Traders in Sindh have rejected the decision of Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah of closing shops at 7 PM.
Traders said people visit markets after office hours. They added that the government should first fix the roads and then worry about the markets.
“I can tell you very clearly and there can be no two opinions about this: 99 percent of retailers agree that markets cannot close at 7 PM,” said Atiq Mir, president of the Karachi Tajir Ittehad.
“However, it is also true that as the weather changes in winter, shopkeepers themselves tend to close markets early around 8 or 8:30 PM,” he added.
Retailers in the markets reiterated Mir’s concerns.
“In Karachi, shops mostly open at 11 AM or 12 PM. I don’t think anybody will be able to open or close shops earlier than that,” said one shopkeeper, rejecting the notion altogether.
“It would be impossible for traders to close at 7 PM because all our business happens in the evening,” said another shopkeeper.
“Our work starts after 4 PM, and at 9 PM there are still a lot of customers. What will happen to our businesses if they close it at 7 PM?” asked one cloth-trader.
