Traders stage protest camp against lawlessness & rising tariffs

PESHAWAR: Traders staged a protest camp here on Tuesday against lawlessness, rising inflation, high electricity, gas tariffs and fuel prices.

The camp was arranged by the Peshawar Qaumi Jirga, Tajiran Peshawar City, Frontier Printers and Publishers Association which was attended by traders from across the district.The protesting traders were led by traders leader Malik Mehr Elahi, Ayub Khalid of the Peshawar Qaumi Jirga, Mushtaq Ahmed Khalil, Fakhruz Zaman, Tawab Gul, Khalid Gul Mohmand and Zafar Khattak.

They rejected the repeated raise in the electricity tariffs. They said that the frequent power tariff hikes had crippled the commercial activities, adding they were paying a heavy amount to the exchequer under electricity charges. The speakers said the common man was finding it hard to feed the family and meet other needs.

They said frequent increase in the prices of the items of daily use had lowered the living standard of the middle class.

The speakers said the government was serving own interests instead of providing any relief to the masses. They said that the businesses were being shut down while the government was least interested in solving the problems of the general masses.

Later, the traders held a protest walk from Qissa Khwani Bazaar to Chowk Shaheeedaan.The traders asked the government to take back the increase in the prices of petroleum, gas and electricity.

They warned of a shutdown and protest movement if the government failed to take corrective measures.The protesting traders asked the traders across the country to unite against, what they said were, injustices and force the government to reduce its spending instead of shifting the burden to the general public.

In another protest, the traders who had acquired the shops on rent from the Auqaf Department, staged a protest against the department. The traders asked Governor Ghulam Ali to resolve the issue through negotiation with the traders.They said they would start a protest campaign if the issue was not resolved through talks.