The business leaders are somewhat have different views on Sindh government’s actions to reopen industries and shops.Patron in Chief of Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI) SM Muneer, President Sheikh Umer Rehan , CEO KITE Zubair Chhaya, Senior Vice President Muhammad Ikram Rajput and Vice President Syed Wajid Hussain have condemned a baseless propaganda against Sindh Government on social media that industrial associations were being asked for bribes to get relaxation in lockdown, in a joint statement.
SM Muneer said that Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah and spokeperson for provincial government Murtaza Wahab has done tremendous job to fight Covid-19 and the economic crises.
He applauded the efforts of provincial government for it measures to create a protective environment for industry in these difficult times.Umer Rehan said that while country was suffering this crisis it is matter of concern that some enemies of the country are being engaged in spreading negative propaganda and fake news against government and its institution.
He outrightly rejected the fake news spreads on social media that government of any official from government asked for bribes to give relaxation in lockdown restrictions “ this is not but a simple plane lie and we condemn these kind of rumors” he added. Meanwhile, President SITE Association of Industry Suleman Chawla called an emergent meeting to discuss the issues pertaining to the industrialists in current situation.
The meeting was attended by large number of industrialists including Patron Zubair Motiwala, SVP Saleem Nagaria, VP Farhan Ashrafi, Younus Bashir, Jawed Bilwani, Tariq Yousuf, Saleem Parekh, Anwer Aziz, ArifLakhany and others.
After taking inputs from the industrialists it was unanimously resolved to demand that Sindh Govt should understand the precarious conditions of business community of Karachi and fervently appeal to convert current strict lockdown into smart lockdown.
“Govt should allow opening of wholesale and retail markets remaining within the SOPs parameters, also allow all the industries to start their production forthwith including downstream industries of export-based enterprises”, demanded in resolution.Industrialists also reminded the Govt that Karachi is being discriminated with the rest of the country, as only Karachi remains under lockdown. The meeting was attended by large number of industrialists including Patron Zubair Motiwala, SVP Saleem Nagaria, VP Farhan Ashrafi, Younus Bashir, Jawed Bilwani, Tariq Yousuf, Saleem Parekh, Anwer Aziz, ArifLakhany and others.
They also emphasized that the Holy month of Ramadhan is approaching fast and this is the biggest sale season for business community and closure in these days means loss for the whole year.
In resolution further criticized the long conditionalities of salary package and were of the view that 70% of the businesses do not opt for interest-based banking, therefore need of the hour is zero-rate interest and cutting long list of conditionalities into one that banks should accept post-dated cheques.
