Govt urged to lift business hours restriction

Short working hours lead to fall in production, tax collection, says HCCI chief

HYDERABAD:

The President of Hyderabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (HCCI), Adeel Siddiqui has urged the Sindh government to lift business hours restriction in order to save the business community from bankruptcy.

He said that such decision would create hurdles in generating revenue in terms of taxes.

In a statement issued here on Thursday, he said that businessmen and traders were following the schedule of business restrictions announced by the Sindh government in spite of the fact that they are facing aggressive electricity, petrol and gas tariffs.

"If curbs on business timings were not lifted the business community would face bankruptcy, resultantly government would not be able to meet its revenue collection targets," he said.

The HCCI president said that crude oil prices had declined in international market now and this would make balance of payment easier. Due to water shortage in river system hydro power plants are not functioning, he said and added that these power plants would however now start producing electricity and this would cover the demand and supply gap of electricity.

He urged the government to facilitate business community so that the country could move on the path of progress.

He said, the same business community stands with the government in difficult times, now it is government's turn to understand issues traders and business community are facing.

He appealed to prime minister and Sindh chief minister to lift restrictions on business timings so that businessmen could work comfortably which was even otherwise their fundamental right.

He said that it was also necessary for economic stability that government should increase exports and encourage foreign investment in private sector.

The HCCI President said the government should remove all sorts of hurdles in foreign investment so that employment opportunities could be created.