PESHAWAR: Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) President Engr Maqsood Anwar Pervaiz on Saturday complained that despite clear directions from the federal government regarding the opening of businesses 24/7 as well as on weekends, restrictions still remain in place in Peshawar and rest of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Talking to a delegation of traders at the chamber house, the SCCI chief noted that businesses and commercial activities were allowed to open round the clock as well as on weekends in Islamabad and Punjab, “but the KP government is yet to issue such a notification”.
“This is complete injustice with the KP’s business community,” he said, demanding the provincial government to immediately issue a notification for round the clock opening of businesses.
The chamber president recalled that federal ministers Asad Umar and Hammad Azhar had earlier stated clearly that the federal government had decided to resume business activities across all sectors of the economy. “However, this didn’t happen in Peshawar and the rest of KP,” he lamented.
He maintained that the business community could not understand the reason behind the delay in notification by the district administration. “There is confusion and unrest among local traders as to whether the restrictions on opening businesses are lifted or not.”
The traders’ delegation on the occasion informed the SCCI chief that they had made several contacts with provincial government high-ups and apprised them about reservations of the business community, but no heed was paid on the demands.
The SCCI chief urged Prime Minister Imran Khan, Planning Minister Asad Umar and KP Chief Minister Mahmood Khan to immediately allow the opening of businesses 27/4 as well as on weekends in order to facilitate the business community of the province.
