Industrialists concerned at proposed two weekly holidays

Industrialists and traders have expressed serious concern over government's proposal to observe two weekly holidays in government offices and added that it would create negative impact on economic activities in the country.
They said that last year experience of two weekly holidays' in government offices and banks had showed that it slowdown pace of business and industrial actives in the country and matters concerning with banks and government offices were delayed and there was no saving of electricity.
They further expressed that this year it will also prove to be futile exercise with no result and no benefits to the nation but on the other hand end up in production and export losses. They demanded of the government to exempt banks, ports, customs and other exports related government offices from closure on Saturday. Former Chairman Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (Kati), Shaikh Manzar Alam said that Pakistan is the country, which had learned nothing from its past experiences.
He said last year government carried out two weekly holidays to save electricity and reduce loadshedding but this exercise proved complete failure. Neither electricity was saved nor loadshedding was reduced. He said that the country's economy and the business community has already suffered huge losses last year due to closure of government offices for two days in a week and now the government once again without realising the further loss has decided to carry out two-day weekly off for next 6 months, which is extremely against the interest of the nation.
He advised the government to concentrate on developing dams and power generating from coal. He said carrying out two weekly holidays' will only slow industrial production activates and matter related with government offices may be delayed. President, Site Superhighway Association of Industries (SSAI), Raja Mohammad Ilyas has said that advancement of clocks by one hours they have no problem, while two weekly holidays are not acceptable for industries.
He said Pakistan is a developing country and it can not afford to have two holidays in a week. "We are already observing many unscheduled holidays in a month like Benazir Bhutto death anniversary etc and now these two holidays. We need to work hard to bring country out of prevailing financial crises instead of observing holidays just for nothing ", he said.
Former Chairman Federal B Area Association of Trade and Industries (FBAATI) Shahid Ismail said that the industrial sector is already passing through a difficult time and facing many serious difficulties including high cost of production, completing orders on time, meeting export commitments and now two holidays in a week would be counterproductive for the country's economics. He said Pakistan is the only country in the world observing highest number of holidays in a year some scheduled and some unscheduled, which have already had adverse impact on the national economy, revenue generation and exports.