RCCI demands extension in business hours

Rawalpindi : The Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) has demanded extension in business hours amid Ramazan and Covid-19 and urged the government to review its notification to close normal businesses by 6:00 p.m during Ramazan.

Mohammad Nasir Mirza, president RCCI, in a statement said that in Ramazan business volume increased due to Eid shopping, but shortening the timings for businesses would have an adverse effect on business activities. The business community has suffered badly due to COVID-19 and reducing business hours will further add misery to their sufferings, he added.

He said that reduced hours for businesses would cause more rush in the markets which would lead to further spread of Covid-19.

He proposed that business hours during Ramazan should be extended to 11 p.m. Mohammad Nasir Mirza said that the third wave of coronavirus is all over the world but in nearly all countries, the businesses were operating with SOPs at normal timings. He said that reducing hours for business activities for a country like Pakistan would certainly be very harmful for our economy.

The government should take measures to ensure strict implementation of SOPs in markets and allow all businesses to operate at normal timings to save them from further losses, he suggested. He proposed that measures should be taken to avoid rush at business premises, hand sanitizers should be kept ready at business places and social distancing should be maintained. RCCI is already running a social media awareness campaign on wearing masks and urged its members and trade bodies to strictly observe the SOPs.