ISLAMABAD: Traders in Islamabad have demanded the federal government allow them to open their shops and markets as they were facing a financial crisis.
As per details, a meeting of Shopping Mall Association was held under the chairmanship of Commodore (retd) Irfanul Haq late Saturday night to discuss problems being faced by Shopping Mall owners due to closure of mega facilities across the country amid COVID-19 epidemic.
The participants of the meeting demanded of the federal government to take a central decision to open big shopping malls all over the country immediately.
“As soon as the coronavirus pandemic broke out in the country, these shopping malls started using sanitizers and free masks and their preparations were even better than those of the hospitals in terms of safety, the government was reminded during the meeting.
They further said even the expenses of owners have increased and due to non-payment of rents, they would have no money even to run their kitchens,
The participants also regretted that owners of shopping malls were paying salaries to employees but tenants are reluctant to pay the rent. Many of them are also the owners of big brands.
Earlier, an association of traders had vowed to reopen business before the lockdown was extended. They had hinted at launching a protest campaign against the government and said that they would present themselves for voluntary arrests if a mechanism to open businesses was not formulated.
The members of the Tajir Ittihad also claimed that the government did not care for traders and daily wage earners. They threatened the government that the time for dialogue was over and markets would reopen under any cost.
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