In line with the directions of Sindh government, the administration of Asia’s biggest cattle market in Karachi has announced that the market will operate till 7pm from today onward, it was learnt on Saturday. A spokesperson for the Karachi’s Super Highway cattle market said that business activities in the market will be closed by 7 pm from Saturday, adding that no one will be allowed to enter in the market after the prescribed time. He urged the traders and the customers to cooperate with the administration in implementing the standard operating procedures set by the provincial government. Earlier on July 15, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah had allowed the establishment of cattle markets across the province ahead of Eid-ul-Azha. The decision had been taken in a meeting chaired by Sindh CM Syed Murad Ali Shah here in Karachi. It had been decided in the meeting that cattle markets across the province would be allowed to set up with strict standard operating procedures (SOPs). According to proposed SOPs, cattle markets should be established 2-5 kilometers outside city limits. The government had restricted the elderly and children from visiting the markets. It is to note that on the request of the Dairy Farmers Association, the Sindh Home Department had written to the LG secretary about the opening of the above-mentioned markets under the SOPs and policy guidelines the department had issued for businesses on April 14. The home department asked the LG department to specify the SOPs elaborating each step relating to cattle markets. On June 3, the LG department issued SOPs for the opening of cattle markets and dry animal markets. The SOPs included wearing masks, providing hand-washing facilities, marking the floor for vendors, putting up arrows directing the movement of buyers in two separate lanes (one for coming and the other for going), maintaining at least a three-foot distance (ideally six feet) between every two people at the markets.
