Feeling the pinch: Traders call for opening markets
Association says that have complied with all the directives and expected the government to show them support in return
PHOTO: EXPRESS/FILE
KARACHI:
Small-business owners and traders have requested the Sindh government to allow them to open markets, assuring that they would be mindful of taking all preventive measures if granted permission.
Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, All Pakistan Timber Traders Association Chairperson Muhammad Sharjeel Goplani maintained that COVID-19 crisis had caused severe economic destruction. Small-scale traders were going through a financial crunch and did not even have enough money to pay their employees, he added, requesting the federal and provincial governments to help.
Besides, the traders said that they had installed walk-through-gates in some places and customers would only be allowed to enter shops after passing through the gates. They further assured that they would also check the temperature of customers before letting them enter shops.
They maintained that they had complied with all the directives issued by the Sindh government and expected the government to show them support in return. In this regard, the traders demanded interest free loans issued on easy installments and payment of Rs100,000 to each trader every month. They also demanded the removal of additional taxes and the waiving off demurrage applied on containers stuck at ports, so that they could get the clearance for their goods.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 8th, 2020.
Small-business owners and traders have requested the Sindh government to allow them to open markets, assuring that they would be mindful of taking all preventive measures if granted permission.
Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, All Pakistan Timber Traders Association Chairperson Muhammad Sharjeel Goplani maintained that COVID-19 crisis had caused severe economic destruction. Small-scale traders were going through a financial crunch and did not even have enough money to pay their employees, he added, requesting the federal and provincial governments to help.
Besides, the traders said that they had installed walk-through-gates in some places and customers would only be allowed to enter shops after passing through the gates. They further assured that they would also check the temperature of customers before letting them enter shops.
They maintained that they had complied with all the directives issued by the Sindh government and expected the government to show them support in return. In this regard, the traders demanded interest free loans issued on easy installments and payment of Rs100,000 to each trader every month. They also demanded the removal of additional taxes and the waiving off demurrage applied on containers stuck at ports, so that they could get the clearance for their goods.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 8th, 2020.