Karachi: Nasim Akhtar, president of the North Karachi Association of Trade and Industry (NKATI), has protested against harassment to industrialists by SESSI, EOBI and the Labour department in the name of audit and appeal to Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah to defer all audits for at least 2 years in the view of COVID-19, so that industries can be restored.
In the emergency meeting at NKATI, the situation arising out of COVID-19 was discussed in detail and various issues were considered to deal with the ongoing serious crisis in the country.
NKATI President Nasim Akhtar expressed deep concern over that as the effects of the coronavirus have waned, provincial departments have stepped in to harass industrialists. Specially SESSI, EOBI and Sindh Labour department have started harassing in the name of annual audit, which is strongly condemned by the industrial community.
“Due to COVID-19, industries have been badly affected even before the long lockdown and severe economic crisis, while the recent devastating rains have further aggravated their problems”, he added. In these circumstances, it is not an easy task to continue production activities. Nevertheless, the industrial community of Karachi is struggling to restore production activities in the best interest of the country, regardless of all the losses. Therefore, instead of creating problems, the Sindh government should cooperate for reviving the industries.
Nasim Akhtar appealed to Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah to have mercy on the industrialists and realizing the plight of the industrialist community, the annual audits of SESSI, EOBI and Labour department Sindh should be defer for at least 2 years, so that the declining economic reputation can be restored and the industrial community can play their role in the economic development of Pakistan.