Pindi traders demand ban on rallies, protests

Traders in Rawalpindi have demanded the government to put a ban on rallies, protests and processions on the main thoroughfares of the garrison city including Murree Road, Fawwara Chowk, Liaquat Bagh, Faizabad and Kutchery Chowk.

The business community asked all the political parties to sign a charter of the economy.

They expressed anguish over the closure of fruit and vegetable markets by placing containers for the last three to four days, which has also created a shortage of food items in the twin cities.

They feared that the shortage of goods could lead to an increase in the prices of several household commodities.

Talking to The Express Tribune, the shopkeepers said that the PTI’s long march was in Gujranwala but business activities were massively being affected in the garrison city. “Wholesale markets continue to crash and people are storing rations,” they said and lamented that the supply of basic commodities from the markets of Karachi, Faisalabad and Sargodha had stopped due to the closure of routes.

“Due to this situation, the prices of pulses, flour, sugar, ghee, vegetables and fruits will be increased in the coming week and there is a danger of shortage of commodities also,” they added.

Anjuman-e-Tajiran Sabzi Mandi president, Ghulam Qadir Mir, said that the participants of the long march will reach Rawalpindi in seven to eight days but businesses are going down in the garrison city. “Previously, the long marches and protests of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, Pakistan Peoples party, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and religious parties paralysed the business activities in twin cities and now we are facing the long parch of PTI,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 3^rd, 2022.