January 17, 2008	Thursday	Muharram 07, 1429

KARACHI, Jan 16: As the Labour Department officials have yet to come out in the markets to enforce shop closure by 7.30pm, various trade associations have unanimously resolved to reject the proposal of early closure.

The resolution was passed in the meeting presided over by President Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) Shamim Ahmed Shamsi on Wednesday.

It was decided not to close the shops at 7.30pm as the main shopping hours in the started from 6.00-11.00pm.

Some representatives of trade bodies had threatened to observe shutter down strike in case the decision of early shop closure was ensured forcefully. However, KCCI Small Traders Committee chairman Abdul Majeed Memon asked the representatives to resolve the matter on the table with the authorities as law and order situation was already very fragile.

Traders were of the view that the markets had already been facing power breakdowns and there was no need to restrict business timings. Thin presence of buyers after the assassination of Benazir Bhutto and bomb blast on Monday in industrial area has badly hit sales.

It had been resolved in the meeting that the representatives of shopkeepers in collaboration with KCCI would undertake a joint study about power shortage in the metropolitan and its linkages all over the country.

The meeting observed that the KESC had not been facing power shortage due to winter season. “Air conditioners are not in operation and therefore the load utilisation is 20 per cent less than in the summer season,” said a KCCI press release.

Business leaders said that they were ready to sit down with the KESC officials to find the load management solution.

Siraj Kassam Teli said that the proposal for early market closure was not in favour of the business community.

Tahir Khaliq said that the business culture needed to be changed and business activities should start early and close early. However, he added that the present crisis should be viewed in the context of the prevailing conditions.

Zubair Motiwala said that the KESC had not done its homework and the city had been made victim of power shortage.

Imran Saeed Baghpati said that the government should consider of curtailing office timing in government and semi government offices rather than implementing the decision on the markets.