KARACHI: Small traders on Monday asked the Sindh government to relocate the damaged Jubilee Cloth Market to any other land in the city.

Addressing a joint press conference at the market, Jamil Paracha, Chairman Sindh Tajir Ittehad (STI) announced filling a court petition for seeking an alternative land for the razed and damaged shops at the Jubilee Cloth Market.

He was flanked by President Jubilee Cloth Market Abdul Ghani, General Secretary STI Abdul Rahman and other office bearers and affected traders.

Letters to the prime minister and chief minister Sindh have also been sent to have them allot a land to relocate the Jubilee Cloth Market, which houses about 200 shops of different products from garments to electronics, he said.

He asked the government to help the affected traders, whose shops were razed from gases emitting from the under laid sewerage lines, with an immediate relocation of their businesses to anywhere in the metropolis.

For 60 years, he said, these traders are paying taxes to the government and rent to the municipal organisation but have been overlooked amid their shops collapse.

Traders seek or identify no specific plot for the shops relocation, however, call upon the government to rush with the process, Ismail Lalpuria, spokesman for the STI told Business Recorder.

"It is all upto the government to decide the relocation land and process," he said and added that the traders could also be accommodated on a 100-shop market at two different plots.

Until the press conference, no Sindh government officials have approached the affected traders, he said.

Regarding Covid-19 fresh business restrictions, he said that the traders were still stuck to their demands that the working hours should be relaxed until 8pm.

The ultimatum given by the traders to the Sindh government would end at 2pm on Wednesday, Lalpuria said and added, "if the timing for markets is not extended then traders will take to the streets."

He said traders will stage a protest rally from Karachi Press Club to Chief Minister House to protest the trade restrictions, and added that FPCCI, KCCI and other trade bodies have lend their support to the demands.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021