PESHAWAR: The business community during a meeting of the National Peace Council of Pakistan, held under the chairmanship of Ghulam Bilal Javed on Thursday urged the government to allow businesses on Saturday and Sunday.

The meeting was attended by Azizullah Khan, Babai Tajran Amin Hussain Babar, Mohtarma Zari Baji, Munawar Khurshid, Ammar Babar, Dr Inam, Farhan Orakzai, Abdul Haseeb Chughtai, Mujeeb Chughtai, Bakht Mir Jan, Sajjad Khan and Abdul Basit.

The meeting discussed the current situation of coronavirus pandemic and issues faced by the business community. Ghulam Bilal said that restricting business activities to 8 pm on the eve of Ramazan is total injustice to the business community.

The business community and the leaders of the Peace Council urged the chief minister to withdraw the declaration of holiday on Saturday and Sunday and timing restriction immediately.

A delegation led by Ghulam Bilal Javed will meet KP chief minister in this regard.

Meanwhile, a noted businessman and ANP senior leader, former senator Ilyas Ahmad Bilour expressed grave concern over restricting business activities till 6 pm and asked the government to allow businesses till 12 pm.

In a statement issued here on Thursday, Bilour said that the business community has adversely suffered owing to “anti-business” policies imposed by Imran Khan-led government in pretext of Covid-19 restrictions and lockdown.

ANP leader said the imposition of new restrictions was tantamount to push the national economy toward the brink of a complete collapse.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021