Lahore High Court (LHC) has ordered the closure of markets in Lahore at 10 PM from Monday to Saturday every week. The verdict came earlier today during a hearing of combined petitions regarding the prevailing smog in Punjab, particularly Lahore.
According to reports, LHC Judge, Justice Shahid Kareem, ruled that on Sunday, markets will open at 2 PM and will close at 10 PM.
Medical stores, pharmacies, hospitals, laboratories, petrol pumps, CNG stations, bakeries, milk shops, meat shops, tandoors, and puncture shops will be exempted from the curfew.
All restaurants, hotels, coffee shops, cafes, and other eateries shall be closed at 10 PM from Monday to Thursday and at 11 PM on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
Earlier this week, LHC had hinted at the early closure of markets in Lahore. After this, traders’ bodies in the provincial capital expressed disagreement with the proposal.
Haji Rahat Ali, Acting President of the Lahore Traders’ Association, termed early closure of markets as ‘economic murders’ of traders and vowed to protest against any such decision.
Besides, Justice Shahid ordered authorities to ensure the closure of public and private schools in Lahore as well as the implementation of a work-from-home (WFH) policy for the private sector on Fridays and Saturdays.
Earlier this month, LHC expressed serious displeasure over the Punjab government’s failure to contain smog in the province. The court asked the provincial government to notify the closure of schools and WFH policy within 24 hours.
The next day, the Punjab government notified that all public and private schools in Lahore will remain closed on every Friday and Saturday until further notice. The official Sunday holiday will count as the third holiday.
The provincial government also notified that private sector offices will remain closed on Fridays and Saturdays from 7 December to 15 January and their staff will work from home.
Do they have any research that shows this is any effective. Aik se barh ke aik idiot betha h bandro ke tarah lage hue hn
In idiots ke brain me in fazul chezo ke ilawa koi practical solution nhe h. Ye environmentalists ka kaam h jo ye anparh majistrate type log krne k koahish kr rhe hn
They never want to take any suggestions for.them n this is a sad thing
Once there was a Chief Justice of Supreme Court who started fund raising for the construction of dams. People reminded him that hundred of thousands cases are pending in supreme Court and its subordinate courts but he was determined to construct dam but not the decision of long long pending cases. At the end neither dam was built nor the cases were resolved. The only benefit was he collected Funds as a retirement plan.