Screeched to a halt: Closure of Inayat Kalay Bazaar sparks protest

KHAR:

All markets in Bajaur Agency remain closed and roads were clogged with traffic as traders and politicians held a protest against the closure of Inayat Kalay Bazaar on Sunday.

The market has been closed since March 1, after a Frontier Corps person was killed in the area. The protest call was given by the Political Parties Alliance and traders’ association. Markets in Khar, Nawagai, Raghagan, Lagharai and Pashat were closed, while commuters were also inconvenienced as they were stuck in traffic.

Earlier on March 19, traders in Bajaur Agency announced their decision to close all markets in the agency to protest the closure of Inayat Kalay Bazaar that has not opened since the last 18 days.

On the occasion, traders’ association president, Haji Lali Shah, urged transporters to join the protest and asked them to stop transport on the day of the protest to show solidarity with the traders.

MNA Shahabuddin Khan from Bajaur has also raised the issue in the Parliament and said a heavy fine was imposed by the political administration on traders under the Frontier Crimes Regulation after the killing of the FC personnel. As a result, traders will find it difficult to pay it. Although the issue was raised in the Parliament, the administration was not ready to open the market.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 21^st,  2016.