Bill payment will benefit 3.5 million shopkeepers: Lahore Chamber

LAHORE: Lahore Chamber President Irfan Iqbal Sheikh, Senior Vice President Ali Hussam Asghar and Vice President Mian Zahid Javed Ahmed welcomed the aid package for small traders and workers.

According to media reports, he said that a package of Rs 50 billion for small and medium enterprises and Rs 75 billion for workers would help them deal with the situation caused by the coronavirus. He said that the concerned authorities would have to devote all their energies to achieve the desired results. Under the package, the federal government will pay three-month electricity bills for the small business sector, benefiting 3.5 million shopkeepers.

He said that the government would have to take some additional steps to overcome the current situation, delay the collection of mark-up from small businesses for at least six months, introduce a scheme for interest-free loans and credit for registered SMEs. The limit should be increased ten times from the amount of their electricity bill.

LCC officials hoped that keeping in view the current situation, the government would provide relief to the industry, trade, and the people in addition to utility bills but also in the prices of petroleum products.