The department of tourism has decided to crack down on non-registered cafes and restaurants in the federal capital, Islamabad, the private media outlet reported on Monday.
According to authorities, the crackdown has started against the restaurants and cafes that are not registered as per the registration rules. The department also issued the showcause notices to several shop owners and the business department to submit a written explanation within 15 days.
According to a notice issued by the Tourism Department, unregistered restaurants are violating the Hotels and Restaurants Act 1976, and legal action may be taken against them.
The notice states that a fine of up to Rs5,000 can be imposed if the violation is proven. In case of continued non-compliance, additional daily fines may also be applied.
Officials said that the concerned restaurants and cafes had already been issued notices to complete their registration. However, as the instructions were not followed, formal show-cause notices have now been issued.
Also Read, Islamabad business hours to continue under existing policy, says administration
Earlier, the Islamabad district administration termed as fake a notification circulating on social media regarding changes in business hours in the federal capital.
According to the administration, business hours in Islamabad will continue under the policy previously enforced as part of the federal government’s austerity measures. Officials clarified that no new notification has been issued in this regard.
The district administration also urged the public not to pay attention to unverified notifications being shared online.
The capital administration in the past month had issued a revised notification outlining new closing hours for markets, businesses, and commercial activities as part of ongoing austerity measures.
According to the notification issued by the office of Deputy Commissioner Irfan Nawaz Memon, all shops, markets, and shopping malls have been closed at 8 pm every day of the week, including Saturdays and Sundays.
