Rawalpindi: Gakhar Plaza traders ‘incurred Rs1.12b loss’

[Naveed Yaseen]

The committee constituted by the Punjab government has calculated a total of Rs1.12 billion loss incurred by the traders in the fire incident of Gakhar Plaza.

The committee headed by MNA Haji Pervaiz Khan and MPA Sheharyar Khan evaluated the loss after a survey and negotiations with the affected traders of the plaza.

The committee in-charge, Haji Pervaiz Khan, disclosed this during a meeting with Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) President Syed Asad Mashadi here Friday.

Haji Pervaiz said that the report of the total loss, assessed by the committee, has been submitted to the Punjab government for efforts to compensate the affected traders.

On the occasion, the RCCI President Asad Mashadi demanded of the Punjab government to direct the Punjab Banks to provide loans to the traders affected by Gakhar Plaza collapse and the interests of the loans be paid by the provincial government.

Similarly, the federal government should also issue directions to the related banks to waive off two years installments on loans borrowed by the Gakhar Plaza traders. These steps could result in the rehabilitation of the affected traders and they would be in a position to re establishment their business.

Syed Mashadi told the committee members that he would along with a delegation of traders would soon hold a meeting with the minister of commerce.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=155358