KARACHI: All the major wholesale and retail markets remained closed here on Friday after the Sindh government imposed another Covid-19 lockdown on businesses mainly on Fridays and Sundays. It is the second such lockdown in the city, barring trade and commercial activities on Fridays and Sundays.

However, the trade centers will function as per routine during other days. The provincial government stepped up the policy of restriction on public mass gatherings over fear of Covid-19 spread.

“Market stays closed today (Friday) after the Sindh government imposed a lockdown,” Abdul Razzaq, the city’s bullion press handler, said.

In an audio message, Razzaq said that the gold market would not post bullion rates on Fridays since markets were closed.

Traders criticized the PPP’s Sindh government for forcing closure of trade centers, saying that this party continued to hold mass public rallies despite growing Covid-19 threats.

Nearly all the big and small markets appeared to have abandoned trade in items such as grains, wood, furniture, electronic goods, clothing, paper sheets, steel, meat, etc.

Among other affected businesses were the bicycle shops at Lighthouse and vendors selling birds and other pets.

Streets and roads wore a deserted look the whole day. Same restriction will be effective on Sundays as well. The restriction on Sundays would hit trade in birds and other pets in different localities of the metropolis.

Mainly poor vendors sold birds and other pets in Saddar and Liaquatabad on the weekends.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021