KCCI slams market closure decision

KARACHI: Businessmen on Saturday appealed to the Sindh government to revise its decision to shut down all types of commercial/business activities for two consecutive days a week .

“This move is tantamount to mass killing of the already perturbed small traders and shopkeepers who are in deep crises and struggling really hard to somehow keep their businesses afloat,” the officials of Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI) wrote in letter to the provincial government.

The letters were sent to Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah, Minster for Local Government Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, Chief Secretary Mumtaz Ali Shah, and Commissioner Karachi Navid Ahmed Shaikh.

Chairman Businessmen Group Zubair Motiwala and President KCCI Shariq Vohra in the letter pointed out Karachi chamber was well aware of the fact the third spell of coronavirus pandemic was more dangerous and they had been constantly supporting government’s initiatives from time to time.

“We highly appreciate all the efforts being made by Sindh government to prevent further spread of the pandemic, but the decision to completely shut down businesses for two consecutive days is not a good idea,” they said in the letter.

“Around eight to ten days ahead of Ramazan ul Mubarak and also the last fifteen to twenty days of the holy month are very important for businesses as this is the peak season so if the businesses are disallowed to carry out their activities during these days, it will prove to be disastrous for them throughout next year.”

They underscored the government had to come up with some other feasible solution to save everyone from the pandemic and also ensure zero damage to the poor shopkeepers and small traders who could not afford any further shocks.

“In this regard, the business and industrial community is ready to fully comply with all the SOPs including use of masks, gloves and sanitisers etc, other than closing down the shops, besides ensuring adequate social distancing at the markets.”

They cautioned that the closure of businesses for two consecutive days would result in bankrupting many businesses, triggering massive unemployment and chaos, besides creating a situation in which the people would die of poverty, unemployment, mental stress, hunger, or starvation instead of the coronavirus.