Local traders reject closing shops by 8pm

Rawalpindi:The local traders have rejected the government decision to close-down business by 8 p.m. will paralyse economy. This decision is not acceptable for business community in any way. The decision will crush the country’s economy, and government would lose several billion dollars to save only one billion dollars by early closing of shopping malls, a press release.

These views were expressed by the Divisional President of Markazi Tanzem-e-Tajran, Rawalpindi Division, Zahid Bakhtawari, during an emergency meeting called on video link by the government to close the shops at eight o’clock in the night. In which all Tehsil and District members participated.All the traders supported his views and said if the orders were enforced upon us, the traders community will come out to protest and the government itself will be responsible for the results.

During the meeting, the traders said that the business community is already suffering in economic severe crisis. Mostly citizens prefer to go for shopping in the evening hours rather than the hot afternoons of June. How wise would it be to close the business at these times? Instead of giving relief to the business community in the incoming budget, the government is causing further increase in their business difficulties. This situation before the budget. What will happen to us after the budget? We are well aware that the tax payers is the one who has to go through the knife. Business hours should be in effect till 11 pm in summer and 10 pm in winter. The government should take the business community into confidence before taking such decisions in the wider interest of the country.

Divisional President Zahid Bakhtawari said that the government will harm the country’s economy to save one billion dollars. The government does not understand this at all. The government will face a loss of ten billion dollars in revenue due to premature closure of the business.The government ignored billions of rupees revenue tax to save only one billion dollars. The government should acknowledge the fact that the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) is already facing a shortfall in terms of tax. Such measures will further increase the shortfall. This will also severely affect the business of the business community. Businesses will close down and will get even less. The country will suffer further economic depression, for which the government will be responsible. Then the only solution will be to slaughter the merchants and collect taxes from their blood.