Payment of ‘quarantine bills’: Chitral hoteliers postpone protest move after assurance

CHITRAL: The Chitral Hotel Association postponed its protest movement after assurance about the clearance of Covid-19 ‘quarantine bills’ by the deputy commissioner on Wednesday.

Speaking at a press conference, Chitral Hotel Association president Idrees Khan, general secretary Jamshed Ahmad, Syed Harir Shah and others said that the DC was in contact with the relevant government departments and hoped the payment would be made soon.

The members of the association had earlier set a deadline for the payment of dues of about 60 hotels for providing quarantine facilities during the first wave of coronavirus.

The DC then held a meeting with the hoteliers and assured them of paying their outstanding bills.

The owners were told that the matter had been presented before the chief minister as a most urgent case and hoped that the provincial government would soon release the funds for payment of the dues.

The hoteliers also welcomed the reopening of tourist spots and starting tourism activities under strict compliance of standard operating procedures (SOPs).

They thanked the deputy commissioner for his cooperation to revive the tourism and hotel industry in Chitral district.

It may be mentioned that the inordinate delay in paying the bills of 60 hotels used by the district administration Lower Chitral for five months as quarantine facilities during Covid-19 pandemic had badly affected the hotel industry in Chitral.

Complaints were lodged with the PM’s Complaints Portal but that too turned out to be a hogwash as each complaint triggered an automated response with a message that the problem is resolved and the case is closed.