Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan, President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry called on the Chief Commissioner Islamabad and Chairman CDA Amir Ali Ahmed in his office. Deputy Commissioner Islamabad Hamza Shafqat, former ICCI President Muhammad Ijaz Abbasi and others were also present.
Speaking on the occasion, CDA Chairman Amir Ali Ahmed said that the coronavirus was spreading fast and all the restrictions have been imposed by the National Command Operations Center (NCOC), therefore, the federation and all the provinces were bound to implement them. He said that the ICT Administration has issued the notification on the directions of NCOC. "Now we have to run the businesses with the Covid-19, so the business community must ensure the implementation of SOPs," he said.
Expressing his views, Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan, President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that the business community was aware of the devastations caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and would cooperate in controlling its outbreak. He said that the lockdowns in the recent past had ruined the businesses due to which the business community was still suffering. He said that the second wave of Covid-19 has caused new restrictions on restaurants, wedding halls and marquees which would increase difficulties for them. He said that restaurants and marquees should be allowed to organize indoor functions by making arrangements of ventilation. Besides, if restaurants hold function in open space, DMA and enforcement personnel should not bother them.
The ICCI President said that the Chamber was planning to organize a seminar about how to reduce the impact of coronavirus on businesses during the next week, which would be attended by the federal ministers, doctors and market associations including the Chief Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner of Islamabad. He assured that the business community would co-operate in the implementation of SOPs.