Punjab govt likely to reopen restaurants, wedding halls in Sept

LAHORE: The Punjab government has hinted at reopening restaurants and marriage halls across the province within the next two months.

According to media reports, Punjab Industries Minister Mian Aslam Iqbal, while negotiating with protesting owners of marriages halls the other day, stated that restaurants and wedding halls would be allowed to operate in the month of September, subject to the corona situation in the country.

However, he added, the final decision in this regard would be made by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC).

During the meeting, which was held at the CCPO office following the owners’ protest, the marriage hall owners highlighted the problems faced by them since the outbreak of coronavirus and the subsequent lockdowns.

They urged the minister to allow the reopening of marriage halls at the earliest, as there were numerous other sectors related to the wedding business. They assured the minister of complete compliance with the Covid-19 SOPs.

Speaking on the occasion, the minister said that the government was fully aware of the problems caused by the closure of marriage halls, adding that he would highlight this issue in the upcoming NCOC meeting. He noted that there were improvements in the Covid-19 situation as cases were decreasing.

“We had shut down all these businesses only to observe and control the outbreak of coronavirus in the country,” he maintained. “Hopefully, the halls will be reopened in September.”

The minister said that early reopening of all sectors was equally favourable for the government, as it was missing out on taxes. “We can only work for the welfare of the people if the businesses are functioning smoothly,” he added.