Peshawar December 08 (Online): The Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) has urged the government to abolish Saturday’s holiday in government offices to ease difficulties of the business community and facilitate them.
The demand was made by the SCCI president Hasnain Khurshid Ahmad while chairing a joint meeting of traders and industrialists, here on Wednesday.
The meeting was told that owing to the closure of government offices and commercial banks on Saturday, the business community has faced severe difficulties, besides it was also badly affected trade and economic activities.
Therefore, the participants demanded to immediately abolish Saturday’s holiday and to facilitate the business community.
Hasnain Khurshid on the occasion said the government had decided two day weekend in October 2011, in wake of increasing energy crisis and austerity policy and directed to close government offices, commercial banks, and trade and commerce related institutions on Saturday.
After a gap of a decade, the SCCI chief said the improvement has come in energy production to some extent in the country while sufficient electricity was also available with the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda).
Therefore, he said there is no justification of the Saturday holiday in government offices after availability of electricity in surplus quantity as well as overcoming the energy crisis in the country as negative impacts have brought in economic and trade activities owing to closure of government offices, related trade bodies, and commercial banks.
Keeping in view difficulties of the business community, Hasnain Khurshid urged the government to withdraw its notification, issued in October 2011, regarding holiday on Saturday in order to facilitate the business community as well as flourish business and trade activities.
Furthermore, he said the Covid-19 pandemic affected businesses and the economy of the country cannot afford anymore damages.
Therefore, he emphasized that the government under the vision of Prime’s Minister Imran Khan, should provide maximum facilities at public sector trade and commerce related institutions so it can help to stabilize the national economy, besides to boost up trade and economic activities in the country.
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