LAHORE: The business community has declared that they will keep their businesses open on December 4 and urged politicians to resolve the political standoff through negotiations and avoid sit-ins and demonstrations to ensure smooth running businesses.
As per details, the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry and All Pakistan Anjuman-e-Tajiran (APAT) held meetings to review the call of PTI Chief Imran Khan to shut Lahore on December 15.
On the occasion, The APAT general secretary emphasized that it was the government responsibility to provide safety to the traders who want to keep their businesses open on Dec 4.” The trade leaders also urged the govt to stay away from clash with the PTI to avoid any loss to traders. Traders meeting observed that Imran khan’s call for shutting Lahore was not relevant to traders and shopkeepers rather it relates to closure of transportation, traffic and roads. The APAT general sectary said that Anjuman-e-Tajiran was non-political trade body, however, there was no restriction on any trader to support the PTI protest plan and rallies. The meeting also appealed to PTI to hold demonstration peacefully, urging the govt to engage the PTI leadership in dialogues for peaceful solution of all political issues.
Meanwhile, LCCI President Ijaz Mumtaz said that the business community had always fulfilled its national obligations by showing commitment towards the economy, adding efforts were being made to hamper the industrial wheel.
He said that Pakistan’s economy needed a growth of more than 7 percent for next 8 to 10 years to catch-up with the other regional economies and such calls were bound to disrupt economic activities.
FPCCI regional chairman SM Naseer said that the FPCCI was striving to expedite trade and economic activities through interaction with local and foreign businessmen but somehow every now and than the things are pushed back to the wall.
He said that all the issues could be resolved through talks therefore the protesting parties should adopt the same path for the early solution of their issues.
The LCCI vice president said that it was beyond their understanding that what compelled the PTI leadership to give call for countrywide shutdown at a time when the government had already shown its willingness to listen to their point view.
