Hyderabad traders protest sealing of shops

HYDERABAD:

Hundreds of affected traders, shopkeepers and employees took to the streets on Monday to protest the sealing of several hundred shops and offices built on police land and the suspension of business and office activities.

The protesters took out a rally and staged a demonstration against the action. Leaders of various trade and industry bodies, as well as political and religious figures, joined the protest to express solidarity with the affected people.

Speakers appealed to the Sindh government to prevent the issue from becoming "another Nasla Tower" and demanded that the provincial government immediately issue a notification for change of land use to resolve the matter.

Owners, traders, shopkeepers and employees of hundreds of shops, offices and warehouses in the shopping mall and Al-Rahim Shopping Centre located on police land in Chhoti Ghitti took out a protest rally from Al-Rahim Shopping Centre on Maulana Muhammad Ali Johar Road against the closure of business activities by police citing a court order.

When the rally reached Chhoti Ghitti Chowk, affected shopkeepers, traders and employees from Chhoti Ghitti also joined it.

Small children of shopkeepers and employees also joined the rally holding placards that read "Don't make our father unemployed" and slogans about closure of business activities and unemployment.

Addressing the protesters, trade and industry leader Adil Siddiqui said the court gave a verdict regarding Nasla Tower which they respected, and when another court declared that verdict wrong, they respected that too. "These traders are Pakistanis, and the Supreme Court, police and public are also Pakistanis. If we do not serve the people together, then who will?" he said.

Speakers said the police property issue concerns 5,000 people in 16 districts of Sindh and their families. "This issue should not become another Nasla Tower.