PESHAWAR: The Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) has expressed concern over delay in return of hundreds of traders stranded in China and demanded of the federal government to take measures for their early repatriation.

The demand was made at a meeting chaired by SCCI president Eng Maqsood Anwar Pervaiz on Friday, according to a statement.

Former SCCI president Ghazanfar Bilour, senior vice president Shahid Hussain, vice president Abdul Jalil Jan, former presidents of the chamber, Riaz Arshad, Haji Mohammad Afzal, Adeel Rauf and Anjuman-i- Tajaran Peshawar chairman Shaukat Ali Khan were also in attendance.

The participants said the businessmen were trapped in China since the coronavirus outbreak and were facing difficulties. They urged the ministry of foreign affairs to take urgent steps for return of the stranded traders hailing from different areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, so that they could be reunited with their families in Ramazan.

The meeting regretted that despite repeated demands the government didn’t take pragmatic steps for early repatriation of the people.

Published in Dawn, April 25th, 2020