Karachi: Prominent businessman Shehzad Mubeen has urged the government to review the current smart lockdown timings and allow markets to remain open until 10:00 PM, so that business activities are not adversely affected and traders can get relief from ongoing financial difficulties.
In his statement, he said that the existing business hours have placed the trading community under severe economic pressure, as limited operating time has significantly reduced sales. Meanwhile, expenses such as shop rents, utility bills, employees’ salaries, and other operational costs remain unchanged.
He added that the closure of markets at 8:00 or 9:00 PM is making it increasingly difficult for traders to meet their financial obligations. Shehzad Mubeen emphasized that if the government aims to regulate economic activities effectively, it should also take into account the concerns of the business community.
He further pointed out that early market closures in certain areas can lead to security issues, exposing traders to incidents such as theft and robbery.
He appealed to the government to provide relief to the business community by extending market closing hours to 10:00 PM, enabling traders to conduct business more effectively and helping to keep the economy moving
