By Asad Cheema
ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Accountability and Interior Shehzad Akbar Saturday said that the business community had always demonstrated great generosity and cooperated with the government in difficult times. He stated this while addressing a ceremony held at Islamabad Chamber of Commerce Industry (ICCI) to distribute free food items among the people affected by economic slowdown caused by the coronavirus (Covid-19).
Inspector General of Police Islamabad Muhammad Aamir Zulfiqar Khan, DIG Operations Islamabad Waqar Ud Din Syed and Deputy Commissioner Islamabad Hamza Shafqaat were also present on this occasion. Shehzad Akbar appreciated the business community and Islamabad police especially the efforts of IGP Islamabad Muhammad Aamir Zulfiqar and DIG (Operations) Waqar Uddin Syed in this challenging time. He said it was the strategy of government to control the COVID-19 spread and save business activities from destruction as well.
He said to open the construction industry and its allied industries, the government was working on SOPs which should be fully abided by the business community to save their own as well as workers’ lives.
He said the government was considering the redressal of the issues being faced by importers, hotel industry and other affected businesses, adding that providing relief in rents and utility bills to business community were also under consideration. He said that COVID-19 was a life changing pandemic and we all have to take extra precautionary measures to control its spread.
He hoped that ICCI would continue to provide free food items to poor people to complement the efforts of government for protection of these people. The IGP Islamabad said that taking care of poor people in these testing times was the responsibility of all. He assured that Islamabad Police would fully cooperate with ICCI in distributing ration among poor families without any disturbance.
He said that Islamabad Police has cooperated in distribution of ration among 8000 persons and would continue to play its role for this purpose. He also thanked D.Watson and Shaheen Chemists for providing protective equipment to Islamabad Police including masks, sanitizers, gloves etc. In his welcome address, ICCI President Muhammad Ahmed Waheed said that business community always played frontline role in every crisis which would be continued to reduce the difficulties of poor people due to lockdown caused by COVID-19. He said that ICCI in collaboration with ICT Administration.
