KARACHI: Small traders rejected on Wednesday the government’s decision to ensure early closure of businesses in order to conserve energy, saying that the federal government should curb its non-productive spending instead.

They also urged the coalition government to dissolve its huge cabinet of 70-odd members and end its “luxuries” if it really wants to support the economy by conserving resources like energy.

“We reject the government’s decision of forcing markets to close at 8:30pm,” said Mehmood Hamid, president of the Karachi chapter of All Pakistan Organisation of Small Traders and Cottage Industries.

He termed the government’s move “anti-economy”, saying that the authorities have other options also to save energy and should, therefore, spare businesses from early closure.

He said that the government’s 78-member cabinet is a burden on the cash-strapped nation, and called for its dissolution to scale down budgetary spending. “Billions of rupees are spent on luxuries and security protocols of the government’s functionaries, which problem should be addressed,” he said and added that corruption should also be controlled.

Mehmood Hamid was of the view that early closure of businesses would have a negative impact on the ailing economy, suggesting that the move could be aimed at pushing traders towards financial chaos.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the All Pakistan Anjuman-e-Tajiran, Ismail Lalpuria, said the federal and Sindh governments should focus on stopping street crimes. He claimed that thousands of citizens and traders had fallen victim to muggers and robbers in one month.

He termed the energy conservation plan a “drama” and added that the federal and provincial governments are more concerned about how to prolong their rule. He said that traders of Islamabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Sindh are united in resisting the government’s move of forcing early closure of shops, business centres and marriage halls.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023