KARACHI: National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) has assured All Karachi Restaurant Association for opening of indoor dining in the restaurant from 1st of next month under the Covid-19 SOPs.
A delegation of All Karachi Restaurants Association (AKRA) lead by its Chairman Asad Hanif met the DG operations and planning NCOC Major General Asif Mehmood Goraya to discuss the various issues being faced by the restaurants due to Covid-19 restrictions. The meeting was also attended by Fazain Rawat, Abdul Samad, Waseem Bilwani and Saeed Qureshi of AKRA.
Fazain Rawat, AKRA representative, has informed that during the meeting, AKRA requested for permission of indoor dinning services in the restaurants as they are facing huge losses due to closure of indoor dinning.
DG operations and planning NCOC Major General Asif Mehmood Goraya has assured the association that from the 1st of July, indoor dinning will be allowed under the Covid-19 SOPs and all restaurant owners must ensure the vaccination to all staff.
He said that formal announcement for indoor dinning will be made on June 28, 2021.
AKRA for the last few weeks is requesting for permission of normal functioning of restaurants under the Covid-19 SOPs to save the billions of rupees local and foreign investment in the food sector.
During the meeting with DG operations and planning NCOC, the industry representatives also assured full compliance of SOPs and Covid-19 vaccine to their entire staff in case of permission of indoor dinning in the restaurants.
They informed that a number of other industries including spices, poultry, livestock, beverages, flour and frozen food is linked with the restaurant industry and all these industries are facing a difficult time as the indoor dining is not allowed.
AKRA has thanked the DG operations and planning NCOC for his continued support and assured the vaccination of all employees.
It may be mentioned here that as per estimates, over 3,500 large and medium-sized restaurants are in Karachi and the number reaches ten thousand, if this number is added to street vendors in addition, the restaurant business is directly linked to about half a million people’s livelihoods, and the livelihoods of 5 million people depend on this industry.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021