RAWALPINDI: Though the Punjab government has not yet issued a notification to close markets at 8pm in the garrison city, the local traders on Monday rejected the advice of the local administration in this regard.

However, the Rawalpindi Chamber and Commerce and Industry (RCCI) welcomed the move and asked the traders to close their outlets by 8pm.

Read: Early closure of shops

Rawalpindi Anjuman-i-Tajiran president Shahid Ghafoor Paracha, who is also the chief of the PML-N traders wing, rejected the advice of the RCCI and the local administration.

“The traders will not allow the provincial government to issue such a notification as the citizens go to bazaars and markets for shopping after 7pm in the summer season.”

Also read: PM directs ministry to consider early closure of shops to save power

He said the traders would follow the instructions of their union, not the RCCI which had nothing to do with the traders.

Sheikh Saddique, the president of another group of Rawalpindi Anjuman-i-Tajiran, also rejected the advice of the local administration to close the shops by 8pm. He said the traders suffered losses due to the metro bus project and instead of giving them a tax relaxation the government wanted to reduce the business hours.

Also read: Traders reject power conservation through early market closure

He said the traders always had a soft corner for the PML-N government both in the centre and the province but it was strange that the ruling party took anti-traders decisions.

The traders will not close their shops early as in the summer mostly people visit bazaars and shopping malls at night, he added.

Meanwhile, in a press release, RCCI president Syed Asad Mashhadi said the government’s decision to close private businesses at 8pm was in the national interest and all the traders and businessmen should follow it in letter and spirit.

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He urged the business community to strictly adhere to the decision of the government, which will go a long way in giving an impetus to the industrial sector.

He said the step aimed at conservation of energy would help reduce loadshedding hours which in turn would be beneficial for the citizens.

Published in Dawn, April 14th, 2015

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