Corona virus: 'Three years of hard work seems to be gone in a few days'

Delivery boy Sami, who works in a restaurant in Lahore, Pakistan, is very upset today. Many of us nowadays probably understand their anxiety. Sami fears that the restaurant for which he works may not close because of Corona.

The Corona epidemic spread to Pakistan after a full lockdown was set on March 24 across Punjab. A few days before Lockdown, all restaurants in Punjab were banned from eating and drinking.

Sami's last meal was delivered on the 23rd of which he did not go to work because the restaurant where he worked was closed.

Do not eat next month where I come I will.

Besides being a delivery boy, Sammy has a father of three children. In addition to his wife and children, Sami's parents live with them and have responsibility for their entire home. In addition to working at a restaurant to run his own house, he also worked at the cosmetics shop during the day, which is now closed because of Corona.

He told the BBC that he used to get Rs 20,000 a month from the restaurant on top of which he got Rs 23,000.

He said when the Corona affair started, people had stopped eating the restaurant since. He says that some of the people who asked for food also used to say to me, 'Brother Corona did not put food in!'

He said that the restaurant they work in is not a huge restaurant. That is why Sami, along with the rest of the staff, were also afraid that they would not know how long Rosie was here.

However, Sami praised the owner of his restaurant, saying that 'he thought of us and paid us for the whole month, despite not working in March.'

According to his other colleagues who work elsewhere, he received only 20 days' pay in the month of March. Sami said his friends tell him that the owner says, 'When we are not earning, where do you give money?'

He added that our restaurant owner does not know what will happen to them ahead and we do not know what will happen to us in the coming days.

'This month is going to be cramped, but what happens next month, I don't know where I will bring the money, where to eat, it is very upset. We are all praying that things go well as soon as possible because in those situations we will not get any other job. '

'Three years of hard work is gone in a few days'

Three years ago today, Hamza Saleem and his friend Abdul Manam Khan started a Chinese restaurant in Lahore.

According to Hamza, he and his friend spent all their money on building their own restaurant, after which they worked hard for three years and set up their business. He then managed to build three restaurants of his own restaurant at three different locations in Lahore, where 26 people are currently employed.

Hamza told the BBC that the total salary of his three branches was Rs 6 lakh. "Apart from the expenses including rent money, electricity and gas bills, food expenses, we were barely able to meet our expenses that Corona suffered a major blow to our business, which made us look forward. Is not coming

He said he tried to run the restaurant for a few days after the lockdown, but customers were refusing to order food outside in fear. 'We have made complete arrangements for our food and staff, including our restaurants, which are hygienic. The little businessman is trapped by Corona. "But we have already paid our employees this month with our own pockets, and we will also provide them rations in their homes before next month."

' No relief to the restaurant industry'

Gohar Iqbal, a member of the Lahore Restaurant Association and the owner of a fast food restaurant, told the BBC that, "According to our data, if the lockdown continues for another 30 days, restaurants account for 30 to 35 percent of the restaurant industry." Will be closed.

He claims that 10 per cent of Punjab Revenue Authority's revenue comes from the restaurant industry, which is Rs 10 billion annually. He said that according to the investigative report, there are about one lakh registered and unregistered food operators working in Pakistan which generates one to one million jobs annually.

He says that 90% of the restaurants run on a monthly basis while the restaurant industry is counted among the major industries of Pakistan, yet the corona-affected industry has not been exempt from any tax from the government. Gone. He also pointed out that 'if the restaurant industry is affected then it will affect other connected industries like packing, poultry, real estate and many other businesses.'

Talking about his restaurant, he said that due to Corona, our restaurant sales have dropped 20 to 30 percent. "That's why our shift has also decreased and our employees are ready to do the delivery work." He also claimed that his delivery riders were harassed by law enforcement agencies in most areas of Lahore and were told to go home without going to restaurants.