Activities banned: Caterers, decorators give one week's ultimatum

KARACHI: All Pakistan Caterers, Decorators & Event Organizers Association has given one week ultimatum to the government for lifting of ban imposed on their activities in March due to COVID-19.

A delegation of All Pakistan Caterers, Decorators & Event Organizers Association (Registered) headed by its Chairman Haji Qais Mansoor Sheikh met with Atiq Mir Chairman All Karachi Tajir Ittehad at his offices. This delegation of All Pakistan Caterers Decorators & Event Organizers Association met with a single point agenda and that was of lifting-up of ban on their business activities was placed on 14th March 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic.

Delegation presented an overall overview of their sector and informed that business activities of approximately around 15,000 caterers & event organizing firms in Pakistan and around 13,000 marriage halls spread all over the country as standstill due to lockdown. Some 70-80 industries are associated with this sector and affected workforce is around 15 million across the country. Most of the employees were on daily wages and they are on frontline facing wrath from all over. Those on daily-wages are facing depression and un-employment resulting in begging, petty crimes, street crimes and other social crimes also.

Owners are also facing several financial issues like rentals of ware-houses and shops, utilities bills (electricity, phones, water etc), salaries of employees, fuel & maintenance of vehicles, maintenance of other goods, due amounts on vendors and their house-hold expenditures.

Haji Qais Mansoor Sheikh informed that we would like to use this platform to convey message to Imran Khan, Prime Minister of Pakistan who had promised 10 million jobs for Pakistanis during election campaign, but he has taken away employment from those who were employed respectfully.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020