All charged up: Traders stage protest against Indian hostilities

Announce complete boycott of Indian products and media

LAHORE: Traders of the city’s largest electronic market – Hall Road – staged a protest demonstration against Indian aggression at Regal Chowk on Saturday.

On Khidmat Group’s call, a large number of traders gathered at the Regal Chowk and announced a complete boycott of Indian products and media while chanting slogans against Prime Minister Modi’s government. They also lit dish receivers and other electronic equipments on fire and pledged not to sell any equipment used to air Indian television channels.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, Khidmat Group Chief Babar Mahmood said the entire trading community is united and standing behind the Pakistan Army.

He said Hall Road traders supported Pakistan Electronic Media and Regulatory Authority’s (PEMRA) decision to block all Indian channels. He said India had been violating the Line of Control (LoC) with unprovoked firing at Pakistani territory. The trading community strongly condemned Indian aggression at the LoC and in Indian-held Kashmir.

Hall Road Traders Association General Secretary Mozam Ali Khan said Prime Minister Modi’s government should think twice before casting an evil eye towards Pakistan. “Pakistan’s entire population stands behind their army,” he said adding that the Indian government should understand that this was not 1971’s Pakistan.

“Today, General Raheel Sharif, whose family has two Nishan-e-Haider (the highest military award), is leading Pakistan Army from the front,” he said. He claimed that all political parties, traders and businessmen were united against Indian aggression.

Traders were holding banners and placards with slogans against the Indian government. They also chanted ‘Long Live Pakistan’ slogans with great enthusiasm.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 9^th, 2016.