Government asked to withdraw decision for early closure of shops

Islamabad
Abdul Rauf Alam, Chairman, Joint Action Committee of traders stressed upon the government to withdraw its decision for early closure of shops in Islamabad and don’t compel the traders of the federal capital to take next course of action for protection of their business rights.
He said the successful shutter down strike by traders on Tuesday has further strengthened the unity in business community and added that this unity will also help them in getting resolved their other issues as well.
He also thanked Joint Action Committee members for their efforts to make the strike highly successful.
Abdul Rauf Alam said that traders of Islamabad were facing many issues related to CDA, local administration, income tax and police, and in these conditions forcing them to close shops at peak shopping hours would add to their problems. He said it was unfortunate that not a single trade leader or trade body of Islamabad was taken onboard on this important issue and a unilateral decision was imposed on traders.
He said Joint Action Committee would call a meeting of all market unions to decide next course of action if government did not withdraw its decision and taken them into confidence on this issue.
Meanwhile, FPCCI Chairman Coordination Malik Sohail Hussain has asked the government to consider demands of the business community sympathetically and take concrete steps to resolve their outstanding problems in particular reference to withdrawal of decision of early closure of shops.
He said that trading community of Islamabad has suffered a lot due to Metro Bus Project and sit-ins while they were not provided any relief by the authorities. Now, the traders have been asked to close shops at 8 p.m. which will be last nail in the coffin of their businesses.
Malik Sohail asked Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Finance Minister Ishar Dar and Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to take steps aimed at soothing the business community which has always supported PML-N considering it a business-friendly political entity.