LAHORE: Provincial Industries and Trade Minister Mian Aslam Iqabl on Tuesday held a meeting with representative delegation of traders and assured them of addressing their problems due to lockdown.
During the meeting held at Civil Secretariat, the traders delegation apprised the minister about the problems they were facing in the wake of lockdown. They said that businesses were affected owing to lockdown and government should allow them to open their shops and markets for a specified time daily, besides installing disinfection gates and container washrooms at market places.
On this occasion, Mian Aslam Iqbal admitted that no doubt, business community and workers were passing through difficult conditions due to lockdown but the government had been compelled to take this step to protect lives and properties of the masses.
He assured the traders that he would talk to federal government with regard to opening shops for a specific time.
The proposal to provide up to Rs500,000 interest-free loans to small traders was also reviewed during the meeting. Traders’ community put forth their proposal that services of ‘Corona Tiger Force could be utilized for imparting awareness to the masses in the markets.
They further proposed that after laying down SOPs, business activities could continue for a fixed period of time.
The Minister assured that PTI government was standing by daily wagers and labourers. He regretted that few professionals were distorting the image of citizens by holding gatherings to accumulate food items. “I am fully aware of your problems and difficulties, and I assure you that your issues will be resolved on priority basis,” he vowed.
The traders’ delegation included President All Pakistan Anjuman-i-Tajiran Malik Amanat, Centeral General Secretary Naeem Mir, Mian Waqar, Mian Khalil Mir, Imran Bashir, Ch. Ijaz, Syed Azmat Ali and others along with Additional Secretary Industries and Trade as well as officers of relevant departments attended the meeting.
