KARACHI: The Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) has urged the government to ease the ongoing lockdown and allow the resumption of trade activities.
In a recent statement, Siraj Kassam Teli, Chairman of the Businessmen Group (BMG) and Former President of KCCI, emphasized the need to ease in lockdown and adapt to the persistent presence of COVID-19.
“Coronavirus is not going to go anywhere and it is going to stay with us for the time being,” KCCI former president stated. “It has become part of our lives and we will have to live with it. We cannot afford to keep the businesses closed forever, so the government will have to devise ways and means of how to safely get back to daily routine life in the presence of the virus.”
The former KCCI president stressed that it is crucial to provide much-needed relief to small traders and shopkeepers, who have been severely impacted by the extended lockdown. He called for an easing of restrictions starting from the fifteenth of Ramadan to help these businesses recover some of their losses in the final two weeks of the holy month, a period typically marked by increased commercial activity ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr.
“Despite facing severe hardships during the prolonged lockdown, the entire business and industrial community, especially small traders and shopkeepers, have suffered heavy losses yet fully cooperated and supported all the decisions taken by the government,” Teli remarked. “Hence, they must now be given some relief in the shape of easing the lockdown under a pre-defined formula.”
The former KCCI president proposed that small traders and shopkeepers be granted permission to reopen their businesses, provided they strictly adhere to mutually agreed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). These SOPs should be designed to be practical and ensure minimal risk of COVID-19 transmission.
The KCCI call comes amid growing concerns over the economic impact of the lockdown, which has left many small businesses struggling to stay afloat. The proposed easing of restrictions aims to strike a balance between maintaining public health and reviving the economy.
As the government considers these recommendations, the business community remains hopeful that a strategic and safe reopening plan will be implemented, allowing them to navigate the challenges posed by the pandemic while gradually returning to normalcy. The KCCI proactive stance highlights the urgent need for collaborative efforts to sustain economic activities and support the livelihoods of countless individuals dependent on trade and commerce.
