THE proposal for two weekly holidays is under consideration in government circles, but this has been opposed by the members of trade and industry, who are of the opinion that if workers will stay back at home, production in industry will be affected.

Here is a question for members of trade and industry what have we accomplished during the last 61 years when workers were given off on Sundays?

When we have not been able to achieve the target during the last 61 years, there is no need to repeat the drill once more when we can accomplish much if workers are given two weekly holidays.

We must learn from developed nations where offices and factories are closed after working five days in a week. All offices and shops strictly observe the timing from 9am to 5pm and, thereafter, offices and shops are closed for commercial activities.

The question is how do developed nations manage to give off on Saturdays to their workers when the concept of doing business all over the world is the same?

Even our exporters have to wait for two days to speak to importers in western countries as the entire West where majority of our exporters sell their goods is shut on Saturday and Sunday being weekly off-days.

The main reason behind the shortfall in production in Pakistan is mismanagement of the timings. If owners of factories should also reach their offices at 9am, at the same time when workers reach factories, to start work in the morning, members of trade and industry can better manage their work during the five-day week, starting from Monday to Friday.

The management responsible for running factories can also take rest on Saturday and Sunday, at which time workers will also be off from their jobs, and come back afresh on Monday after spending two weekly holidays with their family members.

An employee is supposed to work for 40 hours a week which is eight hours a day and five days in a week. If anyone works beyond 40 hours in a week, this means that he or she is working at the cost of his or her health, agony of his or her family members.

With two weekly holidays, I am sure, employees will be able to perform better and give more productivity after tackling all sorts of family-related problems.

Since the country is also facing an acute shortage of electricity, members of trade and industry should cooperate with the government and close their industries on Saturdays so that electricity should be conserved by commercial users and its benefit should be passed on to domestic consumers, who are facing severe loadshedding summer.

The government should announce the much-awaited two weekly holidays, as this will also cut down oil import bills and other oil-related products due to which the government is facing an acute shortage of foreign reserves.

SYED A. MATEENKarachi