KARACHI: Sindh Governor Imran Ismail on Tuesday put his weight behind the small traders and industrialists for resuming their business activities and “fully endorsed and supported” their demand, as he believed they were badly hit by the lockdown. He promised to take up their case with Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah.

In separate meetings with industrialists and small traders at the Governor House, Mr Ismail expressed his sympathy with the business community and lauded their contribution to the national economy. He also appreciated the cooperation of the industries and small traders for the lockdown while keeping their businesses closed and bearing financial losses only for the national cause.

First he met a delegation of industrialists led by senior business leader S.M. Muneer. The other members of the delegation included Zubair Tufail, Khalid Tawab, Mazhar Nasir, Mirza Ikhtiar Baig, Abdul Sami Khan, Abdul Haseeb Khan, Zubair Baweja, Hanif Gohar, Ghazanfar Ali Khan, Noor Ahmed Khan, Farhan Hanif, Umer Rehan, Ikram Rajput and Malik Khuda Bux.

“Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan wants to have a balance between ensuring human health and promoting economic activities in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, which is spreading in Pakistan rapidly,” a statement issued from the Governor House after the meeting quoted Governor Ismail as saying and added that the meeting deliberated upon the situation of coronavirus, the effect of the lockdown on industrial units and businesses, SOPs for opening factories, the problems confronted by employees and other related issues.

‘After the 18th Amendment, provinces are empowered to take decisions on their own’

“The prime minister has announced various incentives for common men of Pakistan who are facing immense difficulties due to the lockdown. The eight billion rupee package announced by the prime minister is aimed at providing relief to them,” he added.

He said the war against the coronavirus was the war of every Pakistani and as such the nation had to be united against this pandemic, which was the only way to defeat Covid-19.

The Sindh governor said that daily wagers and labourers employed in factories were the most affected segments of society due to Covid-19 and the lockdown. The difficulties being faced by industrialists and businessmen were in the knowledge of the government and every possible step would be taken to resolve their genuine grievances, he added.

Refund issue

Citing the example of opening of export-based industrial units, Governor Ismail said the issue of refund of such industries was being taken on a priority basis and the payment of refund had been started.

In the meeting with the small traders, he said the federal government had no objection if the Sindh government desired to open markets and was willing to provide any kind of assistance in that regard.

The small traders’ delegation included Hammad Poonawala, Javed Qureshi, Abdul Qadir Noorani, Arif Jeeva, Mohammad Ali Qureshi, Javed Arsala Khan, Mohammad Ahsan, Zahid Malik, Mansoor Kudwani, Atif Billo and Rizwan Zaveri.

“The small traders are badly hit by the lockdown due to the coronavirus and this is the reason their demand of opening the market is fully endorsed and supported,” he told the delegation. “After the 18th constitutional amendment, provinces are empowered to take decisions and implement them on their own. Your grievances would be brought to the knowledge of the chief minister of Sindh.”

He said the coronavirus was a national problem as all the provinces had people affected with Covid-19 and the prime minister was giving top priority to controlling this virus with the support of the entire nation.

Hammad Poonawala of the All City Tajir Ittehad and other members of the delegation apprised the governor of the problems being faced by various sectors of small trade due to the lockdown and closure of markets and requested him to intervene in the matter.

Published in Dawn, April 22nd, 2020