KARACHI: President of Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) Mohammed Tariq Yousuf, while referring to reservations expressed by shopkeepers and restaurant owners over reduced business timings, has requested the Sindh government to hold consultations with the KCCI before finalising and implementing any revision in business hours for shops and restaurants.

With reduced business timings, shopkeepers, particularly, the restaurants will not be able to continue their businesses, as it is a well-known fact that dine-in activities start after 8 p.m. Hence, closing down restaurants earlier will be a sheer injustice and prove detrimental for this sector which has witnessed tremendous growth during the past few years. It is really important that the restaurants have to be allowed to stay operational; otherwise, they will find no other option but to close down their businesses which would make hundreds and thousands of people jobless.

He said that the government has to realize the ground realities and understand the dynamics of Karachi where most of the commercial activities start late while the restaurant business gets bullish at late night when the traffic flow reduces on the streets of the megacity and the people start going out for dinner with their families. “Reduced business activities at the restaurants due to limited timings would obviously decrease their business quantum and raise unemployment.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022