Another massive protest against tariff hikes
Traders of the garrison city shut their outlets and staged a protest demonstration on Rashid Minhas Road against the exorbitant increase in the electricity, gas and water utility charges on the call of Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI).
The two-hour-long demonstration led to traffic jams on Murree Road and other highways as the traders demanded an immediate withdrawal of the electricity bill hike.
Worried about the rising electricity, gas and water charges, residents of the garrison city, have been protesting against the spiralling inflation for the past week. The RCCI had called for a demonstration against the increase in utility bills on Monday and appealed to all the trade organisations to participate in the demonstration by closing their businesses.
Markazi Anjuman-e-Tajran Cantt, Markazi Anjuman-e-Tajran Rawalpindi, All Rawalpindi Hotels and Restaurant Association, All Rawalpindi Bakers Association and other trade organisations of the city closed the business centres at 3 o'clock on Tuesday at the time specified by the RCCI.
Addressing the participants of the protest, Zafar Qadri of Markazi Anjuman-e-Tajran Cantt said a large number of traders closed their shops in all business centres including Ghakhar Plaza, Mobi Plaza, Bank Road and City Centre to participate in the protest.
Leader of Markazi Anjuman-e-Tajran Rawalpindi, Sharjeel Mir, said the traders from Bohar Bazaar, Raja Bazaar, Bara Market, Commercial Market, Bara Market, Dal Gran Bazaar, Fruit Market and Ghala Market also participated in the demonstration.
Earlier, rallies of traders, taken out from various markets, gathered outside the RCCI head office and started marching towards the Kachehri Chowk at 4pm.
The protesters carried banners, and placards in their hands while loudspeakers were also installed on mini trucks. The central leaders directed the participants of the rallies to reach Kachehri Chowk.
On this occasion, a heavy contingent of Rawalpindi police stopped the protesting businessmen from moving towards the Kachehri Chowk by placing barricades, forcing the business leaders to set up a stage on Rashid Minhas Road and record their protest.
Addressing the protesters, Shahid Ghafoor Pracha, Provincial President of the Markazi Anjuman-e-Tajran, said: “It has become impossible for the daily wagers to survive in the current situation.”
He said if the government does not withdraw the increase in the utility bills, they will be forced to go on a hunger strike till death.
Chaudhry Mohammad Farooq, President of All Rawalpindi Restaurants, Caterers and Bakers Association, while addressing the protesters said the purchasing power of the citizens had exhausted in the current period of inflation and the distance between traders and consumers was widening.
“The markets are deserted due to the loss of purchasing power of the people. All entrepreneurs are facing difficulties and in such a situation, the increase in electricity bills will not be tolerated under any circumstances,” he said, demanding the government to immediately withdraw the hike in electricity bills so that the commercial and domestic consumers could run their daily affairs.
Due to the demonstration, the traffic travelling from Murree Road and Mureer Chowk to Kachehri Chowk was completely blocked while the vehicles coming from Jhelum Road to Rashid Minhas Road were diverted to alternative routes. Citizens stuck in the Murree Road rush had to face severe problems for two hours in the scorching heat.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 30th, 2023.