Hotel, restaurant owners to stage protest in Islamabad

PESHAWAR: The members of Pakistan Hotels and Restaurants Association (PHRA) on Wednesday announced to take out a procession from Peshawar to Islamabad today (Thursday) to demand reopening of their businesses.

The president PHRA, Habibullah Zahid, told reporters that they would leave Peshawar toll plaza at 1pm and hold a peaceful protest demonstration outside the Islamabad Press Club.

“We will remain peaceful during our protest,” he said, adding that the closure of hotel, restaurants and wedding halls had badly affected lakhs of families throughout the province.

He said that it was astonishing and deplorable to note that the entire business were allowed after the relaxation of lock downs in the wake of coronavirus pandemic but the hotel industry was not allowed to work.

Terming ban on hotel, restaurants and wedding halls as injustices with all the workers and their families, Habibullah Zahid asked the government to take notice and rid them of their unrest and disappointment.

Habibullah Zahid said Prime Minister Imran Khan had stated to promote tourism industry but half season has passed and nothing practical was done for the promotion of tourism and people.