NWA traders end Islamabad sit-in

ISLAMABAD: The traders from North Waziristan Agency (NWA), who had been staging a protest sit-in in Islamabad, ended their demonstration after talks succeeded with officials of the political administration on Friday. The traders had been staging the sit-in for the past four days, however, talks between a delegation sent by them and the political administration succeeded at the National Press Club on Friday.

The sources informed Geo News that the breakthrough occurred during a meeting of traders' representatives with Director General of Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor.

The meeting lasted for four hours, during which the representatives were assured of compensation for their losses and another meeting for resolution of the issue would be held in North Waziristan, sources added. Following the talks, Mohammad Shafique made an announcement pertaining to ending the sit-in. Ajmal Baloch, president of Islamabad traders association, said the DG ISPR had assured of rehabilitation of the traders' businesses.

Sources said that a meeting would also be held in North Waziristan on April 22 and a committee would be constituted to compensate all losses. The assistant political agent would be responsible for implementation of an agreement reached between the traders and political administration. Senator Aurangzeb Orakzai and trade figure Ajmal Baloch will be the guarantors of the agreement, sources added.