The free-spending elite are targeted for dissuasion by the reintroduced limitations on avenues of socialisation in the wake of regional resurgence of Covid-19.
The second Eid under the long shadow of this pandemic, having hitherto claimed 32.5 million lives globally, is expected to be quiet and simple in Pakistan.
The middle class lacks affordability. The free-spending elite are targeted for dissuasion by the reintroduced limitations on avenues of socialisation in the wake of regional resurgence of Covid-19.
Factors such as the curtailment of shopping time, fear, curbs on socialisation, uncertainty, falling family incomes and inflation have converged to further scale down the volume of Eid business this year by a projected 20 per cent to Rs448 billion from Rs560bn in 2020. Online shopping has picked up pace but the 25pc spike is on a relatively narrow base in the country.
Traders threaten sit-in from today
President of the Traders Union says the government’s decision for a complete lockdown has been rejected
QUETTA:
Leaders of the Central Association of Traders of Balochistan have threatened to hold a sit-in from Monday (today) at 10am after scores of traders and shopkeepers were arrested for defying the lockdown orders.
“We, the traders, will hold a sit-in from 10 am tomorrow and our protest will continue till businesses are allowed to open,” President of the Traders Union, Rahim Kakar said while addressing a press conference on Sunday.
He added that traders voluntarily closed their shops two days a week but the government’s decision for a complete lockdown has been rejected.