PESHAWAR, June 10: Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Tuesday rejected the government’s decision to close shops at 9pm and observe Friday as public holiday.

A meeting of the SCCI executive committee held here with its president Haji Mohammad Asif in the chair decided to observe Sunday as public holiday keep open the shops after 9pm as per routine.

Participants of the meeting endorsed the decision taken by various organisations of traders and shopkeepers against observing holiday on Friday.

The meeting also discussed the problems being faced by the businessmen due to the deteriorating law and order situation in the province and asked the government to ensure protection to the business community and their properties.

The participants through a unanimously approved resolution demanded of the government and inspector general of motorway police to further beef up security measures at the Peshawar-Islamabad Motorway and erect protective fence on the road.

The speakers also expressed their concern over increase in industrial tariff of electricity by Peshawar Electric Supply Company and termed it unjust. Demanding reversal of the decision, the SCCI leaders said such steps would force the industrialists to close their units.

The meeting also condemned officials of the Customs Department in Karachi for not allowing consignments of a Malaknad-based industrialist despite clearance of all taxes and bills. It demanded stern legal action against all those involved in the case.

Prominent among the participants of the meeting were SCCI senior vice president Inayat Khan, vice president Mohammad Nawaz Khan, Coordination Standing Committee chairman Amanullah Khan Mohmand, Liaquat Ahmed Khan, Haji Mohammad Israr Khan, Manzoor Ahmed Paracha, Engineer Maqsood Anwar Pervez, Nadeem Rauf, Arshad Saiddiqui, Ihsan Rasheed and Mohammad Tariq Rana.