KARACHI: Chairman of All Pakistan Restaurant Association (APRA), Baber Nehal has expressed deep concern over the closure of several restaurants by the Sindh government in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and said that corona’s spread is by no means due to restaurants, so restaurants that have been closed should be reopened immediately.

In an appeal to Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, APRA chairman said that all the restaurants are strictly following the precautionary measures taken by the Sindh government and urged the restaurant staff as well as the customers to abide by the SOPs, so that the efforts of the Sindh government to prevent the corona epidemic can be made effective.

“Schools, government and private offices are open but where is the justice in closing restaurants in the name of corona? The increase in corona cases is due to an increase in testing capacity, which has not increased due to the restaurant business,” he pointed out.

He said that after long lockdown, the government has allowed restaurants to reopen from August 20, 2020 and since then APRA members have been strictly adhering to restaurant SOPs.

He further said that if the Sindh government did not allow the reopening of the closed restaurants, it would be a great injustice which would further destroy the industry which suffered huge financial losses during the lockdown which also employs thousands of people who will be affected.

Babar Nehal appealed to the Sindh Chief Minister to take stock of the implementation of SOPs instead of closing down the restaurants and allow the reopening of the closed restaurants to save the industry from further devastation.

In this regard, APRA assures full cooperation with the Sindh government by strictly adhering to SOPs.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020