Weekly businesses: Vendors protest city govt’s order to end Sunday Bazaar

Officials say the bazaar caused traffic jam.

FAISALABAD:

Scores of vendors staged a protest demonstration on Monday against the city district government over its order to end Sunday Bazaar being organised at the Pahariwali Ground in Batala Colony.

District Coordination Officer Noorul Amin Mengal on Sunday had issued orders prohibiting vendors from setting up stalls at the Pahariwali Ground.

The protesters sat in Satiana Road and shouted slogans against the city government.



Muhammad Sagheer, a protester, told The Express Tribune that the Sunday Bazaar at the ground was being organised for the last 20 years. He said livelihood of hundreds of vendors came from this bazaar.

He said vendors were informed a few hours before they were about to set their stalls.

He said the administration also threatened the shopkeepers and vendors with registration of cases if they set up the stalls.

The protesters said that since they were deprived of a space by the city government, it should also provide an alternative for them.

A Batala police team arrived at the scene and asked the protesters to leave.



They later pushed the protesters and threatened them with baton charge to disperse them.

A district government official said the bazaar was stopped from operating because it caused traffic jam on the road.

He said some vendors also set up their stalls on roadsides causing nuisance for commuters.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 10^th, 2013.