May 11, 2007	Friday	Rabi-us-Sani 23, 1428

LAHORE, May 10: The Qaumi Tajir Ittehad decided on Thursday that the shops in the provincial metropolis would be closed at 9pm daily in accordance with the understanding reached with Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi the other day.

The decision was taken at the general body meeting of the Ittehad’s Lahore branch in which representatives of more than 600 trader associations participated. QTI (Lahore) president Irfan Iqbal Sheikh chaired the meeting.

The general body also thanked the chief minister for extending the closure time of shops by one hour and called upon the federal government to ensure the construction of Kalabagh and other mega dams for getting rid of loadshedding.

Mr Sheikh said the extension to closure time of shops had been made possible on account of a liaison between the traders and the government. The business community was supporting the government as a result of which economy was flourishing.

He said the chief minister had not only extended the closure time of shops by one hour, but also announced construction of 12 parking plazas in the provincial metropolis.

He had assured the traders that the police and the labour department officials would not enter the markets for getting the shops closed and the market association chiefs would accompany the magistrates during raids for checking of prices. The shops would be closed at 9pm, but the hoardings and neon signs switched off at 8pm, added Mr Sheikh.

Ittehad secretary-general Nazir Ahmad Chauhan said the traders had reacted to the government orders for closure of shops at 8pm because only a two-day notice was given for it. They had now reached an understanding on the issue with the government and would ensure closure of shops in all parts of the city, including Defence and the Fortress Stadium, by 9pm daily.

Ansar Zahoor Butt, the chairman, said the government had been forced to resort to loadshedding because it had failed to increase power generation in accordance with the growth in demand.

QTI (Shahrah-i-Quaid-i-Azam) president Raja Hamid Riaz and Jail Road president Saleem Butt said the new closure timings for shops would be made permanent as it would enable the traders and their employees to give more time to their families, besides helping the government’s cause.

The customers would adjust to the closure timings when they would know that no shop would be open afterwards.

A representative from Shahalami, Sheikh Omar, and others said there should be no loadshedding in the markets after sunset so that the shopkeepers could continue business till 9pm without interruption.

Other traders regretted that the politicians were keen on organising rallies, but had failed to ensure timely construction of dams to meet the growing demand for power.

They said the government should also follow the power conservation plan and ensure that no official function was held after 9pm.