As the death toll of Pakistan crossed 900 and the number of infections rose to 43,000 on Monday, the Supreme Court (SC) directed the federal government to reopen shopping malls across the country, questioning the “logic” behind keeping malls closed when the government had already allowed markets to reopen after the lockdown restrictions imposed following the Covid-19 pandemic had been lightened.
A five-member apex court bench consisting of Pakistan’s Chief Justice (CJP) Gulzar AhmedJustice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel, Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin Ahmed, Justice Umar Ata Bandial and Justice Sajjad Ali Shah took up the action case of the coronavirus crisis.
“Coronavirus doesn’t go anywhere on Saturday and Sunday,” Chief Justice commented, adding: “What is the explanation for keeping the Saturday and Sunday markets closed? “The court order issued after the hearing declared that the two-day decision to hold the markets closed was a ‘violation of Articles 4, 18 and 25 of the Constitution and was not justifiable.”
We find no rational or reasonable classification on the basis of which these two days are excluded from doing business, so all days of the week are identical. It is for human convenience that names were given to the days, otherwise there is no difference between other days of the week from Saturday and Sunday.
The court noted that Islamabad and Punjab intended to reopen shopping malls and told the Government of Sindh to consult the Center on the matter. The court said shopping malls will open from today in Punjab, while Sindh will take approval from the Ministry of Health.
Extracted from City42 News
