ISLAMABAD – The Supreme Court of Pakistan has taken back its decision to reopen markets over the weekend amid a rise in daily deaths and the number of coronavirus cases in the South Asian country.
In its Monday’s decision during a suo motu hearing of measures taken against the virus outbreak, the top court said the coronavirus “does not differentiate between provinces” while urging the federal government to take a lead on this and needs to come up with laws regarding this,” said the top court.
“China immediately came up with laws to stem the spread of the (corona)virus,” Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed was quoted as saying by Geo News. The CJP further remarked that saving lives was the basic need of the hour.
Last month, the top court had ruled that shopping malls and markets should remain open seven days a week, which were earlier closed during the lockdown imposed to curb the pandemic.
During the hearing before Eid-ul-Fitr, CJP Gulzar had remarked that if the shops are shut down then shopkeepers would ‘die of hunger rather than the coronavirus’.
The apex court had then ordered that on the weekends, all the small markets would remain open to the public.
During today’s hearing, the CJP also questioned if all the departments in the country were functioning, why could the Parliament not.
