Chief Justice Orders Reopening of Shopping Malls Across Country

Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmed on Monday has ordered the reopening of shopping malls across the country.

The directive comes as a five-member larger bench of the Supreme Court heard a suo moto case regarding measures taken against the virus outbreak.

The Supreme Court has also directed authorities not to seal any shops or markets over their failure to follow SOPs.

Read More : All markets, except shopping malls to reopen across Sindh from Monday with SOPs

The CJP said instead of threatening them, authorities must explain the SOPs to the shopkeepers.

The shopping malls across the were shut down during the lockdown imposed to curb the coronavirus pandemic.

The bench comprising Justice Mushir Alam, Justice Sardar Tariq Masood, Justice Mazhar Alam Khan, and Justice Qazi Amin took up the suo motu hearing regarding the coronavirus situation.

CJ Ahmed questioned the “logic” behind keeping malls closed.

He also directed the authorities to allow markets to remain open on Saturday and Sunday, as opposed to the current system in which markets are only open four days a week.

In his remarks, the chief justice said that keeping markets closed two days a week is a “violation of Articles 4, 18 and 25 of the Constitution”.

“Coronavirus does not go anywhere on Saturday and Sunday,” he remarked. 

CJ further added “What is the reason behind keeping markets closed on Saturday and Sunday?”.