ICCI demands opening of businesses with precautionary protocols
- April 06, 2020
Muhammad Ahmed Waheed, President, Islamabad Chamber
of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) has called upon the government to allow
opening of businesses for limited timings with precautionary protocols from 14 th
April 2020. He said that coronavirus pandemic has caused the closure of business
and industry due to which business activities were badly suffering. He said that
Prime Minister Imran Khan have announced to open activities of construction
industry from 14 th April 2020 while district administration has also allowed to
open some businesses with protective protocols. He said that rest of the
businesses should also be allowed to open for limited timings after taking proper
protective measures.
Muhammad Ahmed Waheed said that due to closure of industry, workers were
idle but on our request, industrialists were providing them daily food items while
no worker would be rendered jobless. However, he said that if lockdown
continued for long time, it would not be possible for industrialists to pay them
monthly wages without work. He said that banks have not given any concession
in instalments of loans and mark up to businesses while payment of loans have
also not been deferred. He appealed to the government high ups to give
sympathetic consideration to the demand of businesses for deferment of banks
loans and their mark up for few months.
ICCI President also stressed upon the business community to fully abide by the
SOPs issued by the government and district administration regarding precaution
against coronavirus and take all required precautionary measures for the safety
and protection of their workers and customers from this pandemic.
Tahir Abbasi Senior Vice President and Saif ur Rehman Khan Vice President ICCI
said that small traders earned their livings like daily wagers and stressed that
government should defer their utility bills for few months besides giving them
interest free loans of up to Rs.0.6 million so that they could be able to revive
their businesses.