The government’s step of announcing six days Eid holidays is been viewed as detrimental by the business community and they are asking govt to cut the six-day “unprecedentedly long” Eid holidays, saying it will be “extremely counterproductive” for business and the economy.
As part of the ‘Stay Home Stay Safe Strategy’ to curb the COVID-19 spread, the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) had declared May 10-15 (Monday to Saturday) Eidul Fitr holidays.
“Shutting down the country for nine consecutive days was unacceptable as it would create a lot of problems for the economy and the business community,” Businessmen Group chairperson Zubair Motiwala said in a statement on Friday.
“It will particularly hurt exporters, who will not be able to dispatch their shipments abroad due to complete closure of banks, ports, customs and all other departments during excessive holidays.”
The decision did not make sense to Motiwala as he said that Eidul Fitr is likely to be observed in Pakistan either on May 13 or 14 and hence, it must be reviewed to save the economy and businesses from suffering grave losses.
“Keeping in view the overall business and economic crises being faced by the country, the government must review this decision and announce Eid holidays from May 12 to 15, which will certainly give some breathing space to exporters by enabling them to dispatch shipments on 10th and 11th May 2021.”
“The business and industrial community of Karachi has already suffered losses due to limited business hours imposed to contain further spread of COVID-19 pandemic whereas the suspension of banking services and port operations for nine consecutive days would further multiply the losses for trade, industry, businesses, and the economy,” Motiwala said.
He further said that the government needs to make sure the wheels of industry keep moving without any interruption given the depressing performance of almost all sectors of the economy.
“We cannot afford such prolonged holidays as they result in losses of billions of rupees to the national exchequer, terribly affect trading activities particularly exports and deprive the poor daily wage earners of their desperately needed earnings.”
He added.
