KARACHI: Chairman Businessmen Group (BMG) Zubair Motiwala and President Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) Shariq Vohra have welcomed the wise decision to deploy the Army for ensuring strict implementation of SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) against COVID-19 pandemic.

While referring to a meeting of the NCOC which was presided over by Prime Minister Imran Khan and also attended by the Chief of the Army Staff, General Qamar Jawed Bajwa, and others, Chairman BMG and President KCCI stated that keeping in view the worsening COVID-19 pandemic situation all around the world particularly in our neighboring country, it has become inevitable to strictly implement the SOPs hence, the business community of Karachi highly appreciates and fully supports PM’s decision to deploy the Army.

Chairman BMG Zubair Motiwala said, “We are confident that the patriotic troops of the armed forces would certainly be able to get the SOPs strictly implemented as whenever a task is given to the Army, they excel and achieve it exactly as per expectations.

“Therefore, it is most humbly requested that as the Army would surely be able to effectively get the SOPs implemented, the shopkeepers may please be granted some relief during the last 10 to 15 days of Ramazan by allowing business timings from 12:00am to 12:00pm instead of the existing timings of 6:00am to 6:00pm while the Army must remain present at all the markets which would ensure full implementation of SOPs during rush hours when the markets get crowded,” he said, adding that if troops remain deployed at the markets, nobody would dare to ignore the SOPs.

President KCCI Shariq Vohra pointed out that the dynamics of Karachi city were totally different as compared to other cities of the country as it was a well-known fact that in spite of the permission, shops in Karachi were not opening up early in the morning at 6:00am.

“Opening a shop so early in Karachi is a futile exercise, and the same can be confirmed by touring any market where you’ll neither find open shops nor customers as it is not part of the city’s culture,” he added.

He said, “Most of the business activities in Karachi usually begin in the afternoon. Hence, the dynamics and history of this city must be kept in mind, and the business hours have to be accordingly redefined.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021