Certain weekly marketplaces in Islamabad, namely H-9, G-6 and G-10, have been ordered to close for four days on September 1, 2, 4 and 6 as they have failed to comply with the fire safety regulations.
The orders of closure were issued by the Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI) after the markets were found not to be compliant with the fire safety laws and had not taken the necessary precautionary measures.
The notification was issued by the competent authority in the process of creating fire safety measures in the capital.
The decision follows the PIMS tragedy and an attempt to put in place measures to ensure that public areas and retail spaces are kept to a safe standard.
The weekly markets (H-9, G-6 and G-10) will be fully closed on the following dates, per notification.
The authorities have ordered that the closure orders be enforced in all markets without exception and to ensure the duty of market administrations and relevant officers to do so.
But, the H-9 weekly fruit and vegetable market has been allowed a few relaxations.
No specific action was taken against these vendors as long as they comply with all the fire safety conditions and instructions already given by the authorities on September 1st.
The MCI has also advised the stallholders and the market operators to not breach the closure order.
Officials have been asked to keep an eye on compliance and take action against those found to be operating in violation of the notification.
The corporation has emphasised that if the stallholders do not comply with the safety instructions, they will be subject to stringent legal measures, and authorities are asked to enforce the orders without discrimination.
The closure comes as part of a wider initiative by the civic authorities of Islamabad to tackle fire safety issues in the weekly markets, where the temporary stalls and the space crunch can pose extra risks during emergencies.
Authorities have asked the market administrations and vendors to work with the safety measures to ensure all the required precautions are taken before they resume normal trading.