Traders oppose businesses closure from 8th

PESHAWAR: The trade community representatives have said that small shopkeepers cannot afford to close down businesses from May 8 to 16 as planned by the government on the pretext of containing the coronavirus spread.

A press release said a joint meeting of Traders Alliance Federation Peshawar and National Peace Council Trade Wing KPK was held under the chairmanship of Ghulam Bilal Javed. Major ® Arshad Mahmood supervised the sitting.

The presidents of various bazaars of Peshawar Cantt including Azizullah Khan Saraf, Chaudhry Shahid Ghafoor, Member Cantt Board, Ghulam Hussain Chand, Bakht Mir Durrani, Amin Hussain Babar, Sanaullah Khan Saraf, Sheheryar Khan Saraf Jahangir Khan, Abdul Haseeb Chughtai, Haji Ehsan, Abid Hussain, Nomi Khan, Basit Waqar, Ahmad Ullah Durrani, Shakeel Khan, Munawar Khurshid,Hasnain Sheraz,Abid Ud Din, and Ammar Babar.

Speaking on the occasion, Ghulam Bilal Javed said small traders and shopkeepers wait for the whole year for Ramazan and Edil Fitr as this month raises economic activities which directly affect the socioeconomic conditions of traders and shopkeepers who are otherwise going through tough circumstances.

He said instead of finding alternative ways to generate economic activities and keep the money cycle moving, the government was closing the remaining options of the revival of the economy. “People have invested billions of rupees for Ramazan and Eid which would be reduced to dust if the National Command Operation Centre (NCOC) did not reconsider the decision to close businesses from May 8 to May 16 and there would be a severe reaction as well,” he warned.

Giving suggestions, he said the Eid stalls should be set up in open spaces and public parks in the style of Ramazan bazaars observing standard operating procedures.

The district administration should take emergency measures in collaboration with the traders and the retail markets should be allowed to remain open round–the–clock.

He said the administration should prevent the coronavirus spread by facilitation traders, not taking tough measures such as lockdowns. “We will have to avoid both Covid-19 and hunger”, Ghulam Bilal Javed added.

He said we are aware of the corona pandemic but we should also look into the people and the shopkeepers who are going through hardships periods at the moment.

The traders representative suggested to the NCOC should give a workable solution instead of the traditional use of force.