Marriage halls permitted to reopen in Punjab from September: Minister

LAHORE: Amid country-wide protest from the halls association over continuous closure of businesses, the Punjab government has decided to allow reopen marriage halls from the first week of September.

While addressing the owners of the wedding halls outside the Punjab Assembly the provincial Minister for Commerce Mian Aslam Iqbal announced the decision.

He assured marriage halls will be allowed to arrange wedding functions from the first week of September, adding that he would meet their representatives for outsourcing functions after two days.

The owners, however, denied to accept his suggestion and demanded to immediately permit them to resume their activities.

On the other hand in Karachi, the Marriage Halls Association on Monday threatened to march towards the Chief Minister House if they were not permitted to resume their businesses under devised COVID-19 SOPs.

Addressing protestors outside the Karachi Press Club, Head of the Marriage Halls Association Rana Raees said that wedding halls remained shut till today due to the COVID-19 epidemic.

“The government has permitted other businesses to reopen under devised SOPs, however they remain reluctant to let marriage halls to operate,” he added.

“We have gone bankrupt due to the ongoing financial crisis amid the pandemic,” he said and demanded of the government to allow the halls to operate under the SOPs.

He further warned that in case of a continuing ban, they could extend the scope of their protest and could march towards the chief minister’s house for the approval of their demands.