ISLAMABAD: Markazi Tanzeem Tajiran Pakistan President Kashif Chaudhry on Monday threatened that traders across the country would open their businesses after three days, if the government did not devise a strategy for them.
“We will be compelled to lift lockdown for protection of businessmen,” the president said adding that they would not let businessman become victim of politics between the center and provinces.
In a statement, he said that the traders would not let the government carry out economic murder of few businesses in the name of lockdown. “Closure of few businesses only is unacceptable,” he said.
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He said neither federal nor provincial governments had made a decision so far to provide any relief to traders including water and electricity bills, rent and interest-free loan.
On the other hand, All Pakistan Anjuman Tajiran and Traders Action Committee Islamabad President Ajmal Baloch and Secretary Khalid Mahmood Chaudhry said that the federal capital was not a business city and the prevalent businesses had already been ruined due to coronavirus and protracted lockdown.
Adviser to the Prime Minister on Commerce and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood has said the government would soon announce a scheme to support small and medium enterprises (SMEs) for all the sectors.
“It is our endeavor to help small businesses as compared to larger ones because of their weaker financial position,” he said in a tweet.