Hotels violating ban on activities

Rawalpindi: The low-profile hotels and restaurants have started serving the customers in their premises in various private housing societies despite a government ban imposed on such commercial activities due to coronavirus pandemic.

A survey conducted by this correspondent revealed that in at least three private housing societies in Rawalpindi the hotels and restaurants have fully restored their services for the people mostly belonging to lower strata of life. When asked, an owner of a local hotel in a housing society said, “These laborers work here in under construction buildings and they have been facing a lot of problems due to closure of hotels.” “These laborers live in temporary shelters or small rooms where they have no facilities to cook their own food. So if we don’t serve them then who will provide them food in this situation,” he said. Rashid Khan, a laborer, said the construction activities have resumed in this area and hundreds of laborers are returning back to their work. “In the beginning the hotels were selling only ‘rotis’ so most of the time we were left with no other option except to take ‘rotis’ with onions,” he said.

The federal and the Punjab government are yet to take decision whether or not the hotels and restaurants should be allowed to serve their customers in their premises. The owners of local hotels also organised a couple of protests in the twin cities last week and demanded of the government to lift ban on their business activities. On the other hand, the local health organisations are also advising the government that opening of hotels and restaurants for the customers can cause spread of coronavirus in the country.