Traders threaten sit-in from today

President of the Traders Union says the government’s decision for a complete lockdown has been rejected

QUETTA:

Leaders of the Central Association of Traders of Balochistan have threatened to hold a sit-in from Monday (today) at 10am after scores of traders and shopkeepers were arrested for defying the lockdown orders.

“We, the traders, will hold a sit-in from 10 am tomorrow and our protest will continue till businesses are allowed to open,” President of the Traders Union, Rahim Kakar said while addressing a press conference on Sunday.

Read: Traders threaten to defy lockdown orders

He added that traders voluntarily closed their shops two days a week but the government’s decision for a complete lockdown has been rejected.

Kakar protested how the district administration arrested traders after a baton charge, adding that traders should be allowed to do business 24 hours a day.

“Keeping businesses open 24 hours a day will reduce rush” Kakar said. “Corona is much less in Balochistan than other provinces.” The union president requested all political parties to support them.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, May 10^th, 2021.