News
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Traders defy 8pm deadline countrywide* Business activities at markets in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Karachi continue beyond 8pm
* Traders call on government to extend deadline until 10pmISLAMABAD/LAHORE/KARACHI: Traders across the country on Friday defied the government’s decision to shutter markets at 8pm as part of plans to conserve energy in the country, as business activity continued late into the night in most places.
Traders in Islamabad and Rawalpindi rejected the government’s plan to shutter markets at 8pm, and said the deadline should be extended until 10pm.
Traders – led by Ajmal Baloch, a senior office-bearer of the Traders Action Committee – called on Interior Minister Rehman Malik, and briefed him on their concerns over the early closure of markets.
Ajmal Baloch told Daily Times businessmen told the interior minister that the hours after 8pm fell in the category of peak time in the context of shopping, and “we cannot afford to shutter our shops at 8pm”.
The traders, however, told Malik that they would switch off three-fourths of the lights at markets and neon-signs to conserve energy. Baloch said traders had assured the government that they would try their best to assist the government in its plans, if the deadline was extended until 10pm.
Meanwhile, all major shopping centres – including Aabpara, Melody, Super Market, Jinnah Super Market, Karachi Company – remained open to shoppers after 8pm. While the government is trying to persuade the traders to shutter their businesses at 8pm, an appeal has not been made to the masses to finish shopping before 8pm.
Traders and shopkeepers in Rawalpindi also rejected plans for the closure of markets at 8pm, and carried on with their businesses after 8pm. The majority of shops on Murree Road, in Saddar and at Raja Bazaar and Commercial Market remained open to shoppers.
Members of the Rawalpindi Trade Association told Daily Times that business activity in the city had already come to a standstill because of prolonged load shedding, and “traders cannot, therefore, afford to close their shops during peak hours”. They said the government should try to increase power generation instead of “forcing traders to shut down their businesses early”.
In Lahore as well, traders generally defied the government’s instructions to close shops by 8pm, as markets remained open after 8pm on Friday.
Traders on The Mall flouted the energy conservation directives, and the situation was not any different in other parts of the city: Liberty Market and adjoining business streets continued business activity beyond 10pm, until midnight in some cases.
Traders in Lahore said they would not close their shops at the time given by the government “at any cost”. They also announced that they would resist any move for the early closure of shops. “We cannot afford the closure of our shops at 8pm... normally, we start business around 4pm in the evening... the government’s plans leave us with only four hours of sales,” said traders at Liberty Market.
Pakistan Qaumi Tajir Ittehad President Muhammad Mushtaq rejected the closure of markets at 8pm, and said, “It is unacceptable... we will not let the government impose its ruthless policy on traders.” Muhammad Arshad, a leader of the Furniture Makers’ Association on Multan Road said, “pulling down our shutters at 8 pm is tantamount to murdering our families economically.”
Hall Road Traders Association President Babar Mehmood said since traders were opposing closure of shops at 8 pm, the government must accept their demand and extend the deadline until 10pm.
LCCI executive committee member and Urdu Bazaar Traders Association President Khalid Pervaiz categorically announced that traders would not comply with the government’s plans. “If forced, we will march to Chief Minister’s House,” he said.
Rao Muhammad Akram, Azmat Ali – president and secretary general of the Lahore Karyana and General Merchants’ Association – criticised the energy policy, and said, “It will not yield the desired results and destroy traders economically.”
In Karachi, around 90 percent of markets remained open in the city after 8pm on Friday, notwithstanding a notification issued by the Sindh government for the closure of markets at 8pm. Business activity continued at major shopping plazas and small markets well beyond 8pm. The city’s administration and police failed to implement the decision, which has come under heavy criticism by businessmen. Police sources said traders at the majority of Karachi markets did not abide by the government orders. staff report/daily times monitor
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk