CHITRAL: Owners of tent service business in the city have been facing losses due to the ongoing lockdown as their shops also remained shut during four months of the winter.

Abdul Ghaffar, one of the owners of tent service in Shahi Masjid Road area, explained that their business remained closed from December to March as no functions and weddings were held during winter and their season started from April.

He said this year the lockdown implemented due to coronavirus emergency had hit them right from the start of their business season.

He said they were worried as they did not know when they would be able to resume their work.

Mr Ghaffar said that almost all businesses had been reopened, but their business linked with gatherings like weddings could resume when the social activities would be allowed.

He said it was not only the owners of tent service, but hundreds of their employees and daily wagers associated with the business who were being affected by the lockdown.

“I always pay my eight employees during winter, but now I have to fire them because of the business closure and no profits,” he said.

Mr Ghaffar demanded of the government to announce a special package for the tent and crockery service owners and the people associated with the business.

ROAD PROJECT: Special assistant to the chief minister on minorities affairs, Wazir Zada, has inaugurated work on repair of Airport Road here.

The project costing Rs36 million was being executed by the communication and works department.

Talking to mediapersons, he said he secured special funds for repair of the road to meet the longstanding demand of the local people.

Meanwhile, a resident of Arkari valley, who had come from Islamabad, was picked from his home and admitted to the quarantine centre at Garam Chashma.

Published in Dawn, April 29th, 2020