LAHORE
The Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry has urged the Punjab Assembly to legislate against blockades and declare it a crime as it has become the most burning issue and hampering the trade, economic and social activities.
“Not only legislation should be done but its implementation in true sense of words should also be ensured by the district government, law enforcement agencies and other departments concerned.”
In a statement issued here, the LCCI President Abdul Basit, Senior Vice-President Amjad Ali Jawa and Vice-President Muhammad Nasir Hameed Khan said that blockade of busy roads and highways had become a tradition and causing huge loss to the trade and economic activities besides mentally torturing the masses.
They said that people from different walks of life block the busiest roads causing massive traffic mess and halting all activities. They said that trading goods, buyers, students and even ambulances stuck in traffic and cannot get through to the hospital.
“How or why are these elements playing havoc like that”, the LCCI office-bearers questioned and said that business community was unable to understand that how protest groups can get their rights through roads blockade.
The LCCI office-bearers said that though peaceful protest is a fundamental right of people but this does not mean that every demonstration or protest can be done at any time and at any location.
They said there should be balance between the right of protesters and rights of citizens. They said that right to assemble for a cause should be permitted but the protest groups should be bound to abide by rules and regulations for the things such as traffic congestion, blocking the busiest roads and sidewalks, disturbing the public and affecting the trade and economic activities.