Rawalpindi (City Reporter)
The restrictions imposed on restaurant business timings across the country have pushed the food industry into a severe economic crisis, leading to shrinking business activity, threats to thousands of jobs, and the impact on part-time employment opportunities for students.
Expressing these concerns, President of the Restaurants, Caterers, Sweets & Bakers Association Pakistan, Muhammad Farooq Chaudhry, has demanded immediate government intervention and warned that if dine-in timings are not restored till 1:00 AM, unemployment will rise further, hundreds of businesses may shut down, tax revenues will decline, and the already struggling food industry could suffer irreparable losses.
The demand was made in a joint statement issued by Muhammad Farooq Chaudhry along with Association Chairman Mumtaz Ahmad and Patron-in-Chief Chaudhry Muhammad Naeem.
They stated that the current restrictions are not only affecting restaurant owners but also endangering the livelihoods of millions of waiters, chefs, kitchen staff, delivery workers, sanitation workers, and thousands of students who depend on part-time jobs in restaurants to support their education and household expenses.
Muhammad Farooq Chaudhry said that restaurants cannot sustain their business solely through takeaways, as takeaway services are mostly limited to fast food items, while Pakistani and traditional cuisine heavily depends on dine-in customers. He added that due to extreme weather conditions, most restaurant activity takes place during nighttime, but the imposed timing restrictions have severely disrupted business operations.
Mumtaz Ahmad stated that reduced business hours have led to declining revenue, which is increasingly affecting students’ education and the financial stability of their families.
Chaudhry Muhammad Naeem added that the food industry has still not fully recovered from the economic losses and loan burdens incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. He warned that if these restrictions continue, more businesses will close, unemployment will increase, investment will decline, and government tax revenues will be negatively impacted.
The association leaders urged the government to consider ground realities, weather conditions, and the livelihoods of millions of families, and to immediately restore dine-in restaurant timings until 1:00 AM. This, they said, would help sustain businesses, protect youth employment, prevent unemployment from rising further, and safeguard the national economy.
They concluded their statement with the appeal: “Save businesses, save jobs, strengthen the economy. Keep kitchens open and allow people to earn a dignified livelihood.”