Rana Sikandar Azam Khan President Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FCCI) has urged the government to finalize the SOPs for resuming businesses on priority basis as it is causing losses to traders to the tune of millions.
He said that immediately after the lockdown, the business and industrial community had started their philanthropic activities and ration was provided to the unemployed daily wagers and they were paid in full.
But now the situation has entirely changed during the last two weeks and traders are facing severe liquidity crunch. Many traders have rented premises and their landlords are demanding rent while they need money to fulfil their own family needs in addition to paying the utility bills. This unprecedented closure has even forced traders from the poultry market to release chicks in the open fields as they do not have enough money to feed them.
“If immediate decision was not taken, the starvation will over-shadow the threats of corona virus and this situation may also force unemployed daily wage earners to indulge in loot and plunder,” he said
