Reopening of businesses: Traders set 31st July deadline for government

ISLAMABAD: Traders Saturday set a deadline of July 31st for the government to meet their demands that include allowing reopening of all businesses with SOPs and withdrawal of weekly lockdown holidays.

All Pakistan Anjuman-e-Tajran held a protest rally (Horn Bajao, Hukmaran Jagao), demanding of the government that all businesses including restaurants, hotels, wedding halls, and schools be opened with SOPs, and allowed to operate till 10pm.

Led by Ajmal Baloch, president All Pakistan Markazi Anjuman-e-Tajran, and Markazi Tanzeem-e-Tajran leader Muhammad Kashif Chaudhry, traders started the rally from Zero Point and culminated at Serena Chowk.

The traders had announced to march from Zero Point to the Prime Minister's House in support of their demands. When the traders from other cities reached Zero Point, the police stopped them from marching further.

However, after successful negotiations with the administration, only vehicles were allowed to reach Serena Chowk. Demonstrators continued to protest by blowing trumpets and car horns, demanding that restaurants, schools, hotels and wedding halls across the country be allowed to open immediately, and that all businesses be allowed to remain open until 10pm.

Addressing the rally, Baloch said that traders' way was blocked and protesters from Balochistan and Sindh were not allowed to enter Islamabad. If Imran Khan could go before the parliament, then why the traders were stopped, he questioned.

Baloch said that if 50 persons could be accommodated in a bus, why not 100 persons in a wedding hall. He demanded that all businesses including restaurants, hotels, wedding halls, and schools should be opened with SOPs.

The president of traders' body said that if their demands were not met by July 31st, a movement (Hukamran bagao tehreek) would be launched to oust the rulers. The rally was joined from protesting traders from other cities; however, Baloch said that their caravans coming from Balochistan and Sindh were stopped from entering the federal capital.

Traders' leaders stated that the government had failed to provide facilities to the community amid Covid-19. "Our primary goal is to resolve the problems of the traders. The right direction must be set for the betterment of the economy. Employment opportunities will be available only if all business activities are restored," they added.

The protestors criticised the government's economic policies and urged for resolving the issue they are facing in the aftermath of coronavirus pandemic.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020