Daily Times

LAHORE: Several vendors were compelled to set up makeshift stalls around the premises of model bazaars as most of Sunday and model bazaars remain closed amid high security for the Pakistan Super League (PSL) final on Sunday.

The decision to keep the Sunday and model bazaars closed was taken a few days ago with directives to departments concerned to ensure presence of their staff at the makeshift markets. However, the department concerned could not pass on the news of keeping the bazaars closed to traders as several trucks loaded with goods reached bazaars on Sunday.

“We cannot go back with loaded vehicles, as commodities, especially vegetables will get rotten. They [authorities] did inform us about their decision to keep the bazaars closed that was why we had set up makeshift stalls,” a vendor told Daily Times.

Meanwhile, loads of citizens also railed against the decision of keeping the bazaars closed, saying: “Sunday is only day in the week when some good quality commodities are available on reasonable prices, but now vendors are selling commodities at exorbitant rates due to unavailability of rate lists at the makeshift markets. They added: “If vendors have set up makeshift stalls the government could also have done so keeping in view the closure of model and Sunday bazaars.”

A number of citizens; however, said that the makeshift stalls or bazaars illegally established in residential areas and in front of houses hat put their lives at risk as no policeman or the district administration staff was present there.

On the other hand, a spokesman for the DIG (Operations) said, “We have not closed any makeshift market and provide security personnel on the demand of the district administration. To a question, he said police personnel were not only performing security duties for the PSL final but were also covering other areas of the city.

He said that police were taking action against those vendors, who have established illegal stalls in residential areas. “We will cooperate with the district administration once they will identify illegal stall set up in residential areas,” he added.