President of Korangi Association of Trade & Industry (KATI), Sheikh Umer Rehan has urged Sindh government for no further delay in process defining Standard operating procedure (SOPs) for resumption of industry during the current lockdown restrictions.
He welcomed the move by Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah for initiating deliberation on the measures for continuation of export related industrial production in Karachi. However, he mentioned that this process should not be more time consuming as the country's economy and industries couldn't bear the delay.
He said that as the Sindh government took lead in preemptive measures to curb Covid-19 pandemic it would be another feather in the cap of our worthy CM Murad Ali Shah to resume industrial production especially for exports.
He said that along with essential items resumption of production in export related industry was very much needed as country's exports were suffering great setback due to global situation emerged after spread of Coronavirus pandemic.
He cited that according to details released by Pakistan Bureau of Statistic in last month exports have been declined 15pc and our trade deficit has surged to 1.49 billion USD. "National economy has already been going through tough times and in current crisis we have to consider a comprehensive strategy to curb the pandemic and stabilization of economy side by side," he added.
President KATI said that for the survival of economy and preempt the possible menace of unemployment a multi dimension approach to this challenge is the need of time.
He said that industrialist community understands the severity of the situation and ready to cooperate with the government, "Industries would follow the precautionary guidelines and directives of social distancing and hygiene as recommended by government and health authorities during the production process," he added.
He said that it is good to know that the CM Sindh had directed the health, labour and Industry department to prepare a plan and SOPs for the export related industry, we hope that input of business and industrialists would also be taken on board in the deliberation and the it would be finalized soon.