Pakistan Industrial and Traders Association Front (PIAF) has expressed serious concerns over the proposal of two holidays in a week and termed it a decision to further spoil economic/business conditions. PIAF Chairman, Sohail Lashari in a statement on Thursday said that observing two holidays in a week would create manifold problems and hamper business and industrial activities.
He urged the government not to implement the proposal and take appropriate measures in consultation with the business community to address the energy crisis. He also urged the government to consider alternative measures for saving energy and enhancing the capacity of electricity generating units.
PIAF Chairman suggested that if the holidays were necessary, export and import-related government offices including ports, customs and banks should be exempted from it. Because of the additional holiday in a week, businesses would suffer a lot, he maintained.
He said that not only the business community would suffer but it will also cause financial loss to the national exchequer. He demanded that banks be exempted from two holidays in case the decision was unavoidable. He pointed out that nowhere in the world commercial banks were closed for two days in a week and even in the countries where five-day week is observed, commercial banks remain open on Saturdays.
He said that the government should exempt customs and banks from the two-day weekly off to ensure smooth export and industries operation as two weekly holidays in the country are not viable. Lashari was of the view that permanent solution should be worked out to overcome energy crisis. He urged the government to consult stakeholders before implementing such a decision.