Protesting traders shut K-P down

In protest against the increase in electricity and gas bills and taxes, the traders' community in Peshawar, like the rest of the country, observed a shutter-down strike, resulting in the closure of commercial centers. major markets, including Ashraf Road, Rampura Bazaar, Chowk Yadgar, People's Mandi, Qissa Khwani Bazaar, Shoba Bazaar, Peshawar Saddar, and Fawara Chowk.

Traders set up a protest camp on Ashraf Road and held rallies. They demanded that the government reduce taxes and electricity bills, warning that if authorities failed to negotiate, the strikes would intensify further.

On the appeal of the Jamaat-e-Islami and trader organisations, business centers in Peshawar and various other cities of the province remained closed. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Traders Association announced full support for the strike, stating that businesses in all small and large cities of Peshawar would remain closed.

They rejected the increase in taxes and electricity bills, arguing that the imposition of various levies by the government, including 13 types of taxes on electricity bills, has completely destroyed trade. The government has imposed these taxes at the behest of the IMF, they said. The traders pointed out that these added expenses were harming their businesses.

Many of them noted that prices of all commodities had become exorbitant, and the public was also fed up with inflation. The traders warned that until the government announced a reduction in taxes and electricity prices or entered negotiations, they would extend their protests further.

On Wednesday, trader organisations set up protest camps on Ashraf Road, with several people, wearing black armbands, participating in the rallies. The Peshawar Traders Association took out a rally from Ashraf Road to Chowk Yadgar.

They carried placards and banners with slogans against the government. The shutter-down strike on Wednesday was successful, with all commercial centres in the inner city completely closed. Ashraf Road, Rampura Bazaar, People's Mandi, Qissa Khwani Bazaar, Shoba Bazaar, Fawara Chowk, Peshawar Cantonment, and Saddar Bazaar were all fully closed, while some commercial centers on University Road remained open.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Peshawar District President Irfan Saleem and General Secretary Malik Shahab Advocate participated in the shutter-down strike".

The rest of the province also responded to the call. Shops in the Malakand Division, Hazara Division, and southern districts, including the merged tribal areas, remained sealed for business.