Pressure tactics: Chiniot traders strike against ‘fake’ FIRs

Traders demand withdrawl of cases, registration of FIR against DSP’s driver and gunman.

FAISALABAD: A large number of Chiniot traders observed a shutter down strike to protest against police on Sunday over the registration of two allegedly ‘fabricated’ cases of abduction and theft against 19 nominated and 150 unnamed traders.

The strike was partially successful on Mandir Road Bazaar, Rail Bazaar, Kutchery Bazaar, Muslim Bazaar and Choori Bazaar.

Traders said a commotion had occurred the DSP Chiniot (headquarters) Mumtaz Sarhai’s official van hit a motorcycle driven by a local trader Jibran, who was injured in the incident. Led by Anjuman Tajiraan President Zulfiqar Jatt, traders protested against the police and exchanged harsh words with DSP Mumtaz’s driver Ghulam Rasool and gunman Ahmed Shaukat.

While the traders’ demand for a case against the DSP’s driver and gunman was ignored, they said, Chiniot police registered two cases of abduction and theft against 169 traders. The FIR identified 19 traders, including Zulfiqar Jatt, Abdul Majeed and Khalil Ahmad. Another 150 traders were stated to have been involved.

Garments shop owner Abdul Karim said, “Police officials act like dictators. They enter our shops, pick up items and leave without paying.”

Another shopkeeper Ghulam Abbas said, “Police consider themselves above the law. They think nothing of implicating innocent citizens in fabricated cases.”

The protesting traders demanded that the cases registered against traders be withdrawn immediately and a case be registered against the DSP’s driver and gunman.

DSP Chiniot (Headquarters) Mumtaz Sarhai said that some of the traders had abducted two police officials and manhandled them. She said they had also stolen money from these police officials.

DSP Chiniot (City) Javaid Anwar said that the strike was a pressure tactic. He said that cases had been registered against the traders after they mishandled police officers. He said, “Only about fifteen traders observed the strike.”

Published in The Express Tribune, April 2^nd, 2012.