Rawalpindi   -  The daily wagers, tailors, barbers, local traders and shopkeepers are facing immense troubles after the government imposed a complete lockdown to prevent further spread of COVID-19.

They say their families are facing tough financial situation since the government has barred them from opening their shops and businesses due to lockdown. 

Similarly, tens of hundreds of citizens are also suffering a lot due to closure of ENT departments in Allied Hospitals. The suspension of intra-provincial transport also irked those who wanted to travel to their native towns to celebrate Eid ul Azha with their loved families.

They made an appeal to prime minister of Pakistan and Chief Minister Punjab to announce relief package for them.

Talking to The Nation on Monday, Qudrat Ullah, a labourer, said he and his family have to struggle to survive in coronavirus lockdown. He said he is sitting along road displaying his tools with hope that someone will drive by and offer him work. “But, I may have to return back home in evening without earning even a rupee,” he said.

Another mason namely Bisharat Ali was of view that he is only out here because of hunger and no other reason. “If government imposes curfew like situation then it should arrange food and other daily use items for poor,” he said.

Government has gone for a complete lockdown without keeping in mind the problems of poor and working class, said Chaudhry Faisal, an oil and lubricants dealer at Caltax Road during an interaction with The Nation. He said patients are not being examined in hospitals by the doctors, whereas, families of labourers are sleeping with empty stomach due to non-availability of food. 

“When the government shut all kind of businesses, then it should have plan B for facilitating people,” he said.

“I brought clothes worth millions of rupees from Faisalabad to sale it out on the eve of Eid but have to close my shop after government imposed lockdown,” said Anjum Raja, a trader in Raja Bazaar.

Shamas Khan, a barber, was of view that lockdown has conflicted loss of thousands of rupees to him. “Near Eid, people throng towards barber shops for haircut, facial and other services but this year he is sitting at home with no work in hand,” he said.

Abbas Ahmed, tailor, also cried over on-going lockdown. “I had taken orders of stitching some 300 ladies suits for Eid but lockdown made it impossible to deliver the suits in time,” he said.

He said the government should have allowed tailors to continue their work with obeying coronavirus SOPs instead of shutting their businesses.

Likewise, people who are here in twin cities for jobs also complained that closure of transport has made it difficult for them to travel back to home to celebrate Eid with families. 

“I am belonging to Layyah and employed in a private company in Rawalpindi. I have not visited my family for last six months,” said Ghulam Ahmed. He said he was planning to visit native town on this Eid but the lockdown shattered his dream.

On the other hand, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Rawalpindi Capt (R) Anwaar Ul Haq along with assistant commissioners and special checking magistrates has intensified operation against the traders and shopkeepers involved in violating SOPs of coronavirus accords the district.

A team of district government officials, headed by AC Saddar Ghulam Mehar Abbas, carried out raids in several locations of Saddar Division and held the shopkeepers found involved in running businesses during lockdown.

Also, the district government officials along with city traffic police, Punjab police have set up pickets on entry points of Murree to stop tourists and irrelevant vehicles from entering in hill station.