By Our Correspondent
LAHORE – Steal traders Friday sought LCCI help for desealing of their godowns terming it an anti-government step. They said that it is a calculated move to defame the present government.
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A delegation of Pakistan Steal Traders Association visited the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry and informed the LCCI President Mian Abuzar Shad, former President Mian Anjum Nisar, Muhammad Ali Mian and former Vice President Faheem ur Rehman Saigol that such high-handedness by bureaucrats is not only an attack on the business community but also a deliberate attempt to damage the government’s reputation and economic stability.
Sheikh Umar Sarfraz, Ehsan Mehmood, Haji Alauddin, Sheikh Usman, Mian Tahir and Malik Ijaz said that that on May 1st, a public holiday, Pakistan Railways officials sealed hundreds of shops and godowns in the Badami Bagh area, despite the fact that many of these properties are either on long-term lease (99 or 33 years) or duly registered. Even the association’s office, labor rooms and washrooms were sealed, creating panic and severe disruption in business operations. Traders described the act as if it were a military operation against criminals rather than a matter involving legitimate businesses.
The delegation members said that how can godowns that are legally leased and paying advance rent be sealed without any prior notice or justification? The officials responsible must be held accountable. These officers are receiving salaries from the taxes paid by these very traders and are now using arbitrary powers to crush them.”
The stakeholders demanded the immediate formation of a Dispute Resolving Committee with the involvement of the Lahore Chamber to mediate the issue and ensure that all sealed properties are reopened without delay.
The LCCI leadership said that the Lahore Chamber stands firmly with the business community. They appealed to Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and Punjab Governor Sardar Salim Haider to take urgent action.
They further added that while industries across the country are already shutting down, no one dares to invest in new businesses due to such hostile actions. The government must rein in such officers and resolve this issue immediately through negotiations involving the Chamber. Why not first fix Pakistan Railways, which is suffering losses of over Rs. 3 billion monthly? Instead of reforming the system, these officers are targeting the very people who keep the economy afloat.
The delegation members questioned that why railway officials have adopted an anti-business stance. What emergency justified sealing shops on a public holiday? This is a misuse of discretionary powers. In civilized societies, issues are resolved through committees, not through force.
