Traders reject plan to shut markets early

ISLAMABAD: Traders of the federal capital on Friday rejected the government’s decisions to close down commercial centres at 8 pm.

Furthermore, they also denounced the decision to close industries for one day a week. They have announced to resist the forced closure of markets and shops by staging demonstrations and observing strikes. In this connection, a highlevel meeting of the Traders Action Committee was held here on Friday under the chairmanship of the organising secretary, Muhammad Kashif.

The meeting was attended by the representatives of various trader organisations. Khalid Mahmood of Blue Area Association said it was not possible to implement the government’s decision to shut down markets at 8pm and no hotel or restaurant in the Blue Area would be closed before 10pm. “If the government disconnects the electricity, generators would be used”, he added.

Organising secretary, Muhammad Kashif said the business community is already facing financial crisis and it has become difficult even to pay the rent of the shops. “The government is seeking more payment of taxes and imposing Value Added Tax while the traders are being pushed against the wall,” he said. Jahangir Akhtar, a representative of the Islamabad Chamber of Small Traders and Cottage Industry said, “The government has created an atmosphere which could trigger a revolution.” “A delegation of the Traders Action Committee from Islamabad will meet the interior minister soon and apprise him of the situation,” he added.