Stakeholders scared of one-dish law

LAHORE - The Punjab cabinet's first decision to strictly implement the one-dish law in marriage ceremonies has sent chill down the spine of all stakeholders involved in catering business and owned marriage halls.
The decision of the Punjab cabinet to strictly implement the one-dish law has created tumult among all the stakeholders, who were expecting something of this since the re-entry of Sharifs in the politics who for the first time banned all food in the marriage ceremonies except simple tea and soft drink for the benefit of the less privileged sections of society.  
After the decision was announced, most of the people engaged in the businesses of marriage hall and catering have been unnerved and tense. With sleepless nights, they have put their heads together to deal out the unwanted situation. Most of them recalled memories of the past with Shahbaz Sharif leading a campaign to enforce the ban, sparing none.
Without any delay, they have decided to make urgent measures as safeguard before the implementation of decision gets underway.
Sources privy to the development revealed that all the stakeholders held a hurriedly meeting on Thursday. They decided to meet Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Dost Muhammad Khosa and Minister for Law Rana Sana Ullah on the issue. The sources informed that they also decided to present their demand to amend the law to make it really practical.
Talking to The Nation, Lahore Marriage Hall Association chairman, Mian Muhammad Ilyas said that marriage law needed to be amended forthwith. He said that there were some flaws in the law which should be rectified before implementation of cabinet decision starts.
He said that in case of violation of one-dish restriction, only who booked the wedding functions should be held responsible. But in the existing law the owner of the place, hotel, restaurant, wedding hall, community center, or club gets penalised. Mostly people book the place in the name of Haqiqa, or a social get to gather but later on it turns out to be marriage ceremonies".
Regarding imposition of fines, he said, "The monetary penalties did not work in the past as a deterrent against the violators. The people openly say they are ready to pay fine".