Traders protest arrests, shop closures

RAWALPINDI:

Grocery merchants condemned the recent arrests of shopkeepers, imposition of heavy fines and closure of shops for the next three days due to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's protest announcement.

The meeting presided over by the Punjab Kiryana Association Patron General and Merchants Association President Markazi Kiryana Saleem Parvez Butt, who said that arrests of shopkeepers, heavy fines and keeping shops closed for three days will not be accepted under any circumstances. "The Association will stand as a mountain in front of this persecution. We will continue to defend the traders till the last drop of blood," he said, adding that there will be a strong protest if the official prices are not according to the market prices.

Senior Vice President Zaheer Abbas, Vice President Noor Rehman, President Chaudhry Munir, General Secretary Hafiz Owais Qasim, Information Secretary Ishtiaq Mir, Finance Secretary Naseem Ahmad Qadri, Joint Secretary Abdul Waheed Abbasi, Abid Abbasi, Sardar Idris and other officials also attended the meeting.

Addressing the business community, the speakers condemned undue fines on businessmen, registration of FIRs based on fictitious and fake rate lists and harassment of businessmen.

It was said during the meeting that, "Thieves and robbers go around robbing traders and people day in and day out.