SCCI opposes lockdowns

PESHAWAR: Opposing the lockdown, the business community representatives on Thursday urged the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to devise a joint strategy after consulting the trader community for enforcing the standard operating procedures (SOPs) to contain the coronavirus.

The demand was made by the SCCI delegation led by its President Sherbaz Bilour during a meeting with Chief Secretary Kazim Niaz. Manzoor Elahi, senior vice-president and Sajjad Aziz, secretary-general of the chamber and others were present at the meeting.

The officials were told that the trader community was confronted with enormous difficulties due to the present unfavourable business environment amid the second wave of coronavirus pandemic. The participants proposed that the district administration should devise a strategy to create awareness among masses about coronavirus SOPs instead of harassing the traders on the pretext of violating the SOPs.

The SCCI chief informed the chief secretary of the reservations of the trader community about the forcible closure of business centres and shops, besides arrest of shopkeepers for not fully adhering to the SOPs. He said the SCCI and traders fully supported the enforcement of the SOPs but the district administration should avoid arrest and harassment of traders for not wearing facemasks.

Sherbaz Bilour urged the administration to avoid sealing shops and markets without any prior notice. The SCCI chief asked the government to take practical measures for ease of doing businesses instead of multiplying miseries of the business community affected by Covid-19 pandemic.

He added the policies should be formulated in consultation with the chambers and the trader community before its implementation. The press release said the chief secretary agreed to the SCCI proposals and recommendations and stated that the coronavirus cases had rapidly surged in the province, for which the government and its relevant departments had a prime duty to implement SOPs to contain the spread of the Covid-19.

The chief secretary asked the chamber to prepare proposals in close coordination with district administration, home secretary and other departments concerned to ensure enforcement of the SOPs.