Traders demand waiver of 9pm deadline until Eid

The business community across the country has demanded the government to lift the recently imposed restrictions on business hours maintaining that the respite be given at least in wake of ongoing business season of Eidul Azha.

The 9pm deadline for shops should be lifted for Eidul Azha season, said All Pakistan Traders Association President Kashif Chaudhry while addressing a convention on Tuesday.

He said that after Eidul Adha, business hours could be fixed in consultation with the representatives of traders and the government.

Chaudhry said that the current energy crisis in the country, the rise in the value of the dollar, rising rates of various taxes and other issues have destroyed business and commercial activities in the country. The business community is in a quandary as business is affected. Closing markets and shops early will not solve the energy crisis. If the business is done at night then the government also gets revenue in different ways. Unemployment is rising due to working hours.

Addressing the convention, he further said that the business community was also worried about the rise in prices of petroleum products. He said the the business community demands the Prime Minister to formulate a comprehensive strategy for obtaining electricity from alternative sources to solve the energy crisis while also boosting the business activity in consultation with traders.

Business leaders Hakeem Shah, Jamal Sehti, Mansoor Jake Asif Gulfam and others also addressed the convention and urged that a strategy be formulated through mutual consultation to solve the problems of the business community. Uncertainty has been growing among the traders as every incoming government aggravates the problems through its policies instead of solving them, they said.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 22^nd, 2022.