No strike: Trade bodies reject PTI’s strike call

FAISALABAD: Several traders’ associations of Faisalabad have rejected the December 8 strike call by Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI) and announced that all markets and bazaars would be open as usual. Addressing a press conference on Thursday, Anjuman Tajiran president Shahid Razzaq Sikka said there were more than 200 trade bodies in Faisalabad all of them were united against the strike on December 8. “Traders are a peaceful community but we will not let anyone force closure of shops,” he said. He said traders would move court against PTI leaders if “even a single shop was damaged.” Sikka said Imran Khan should adopt a constitutional way to voice his protest. “He can arrange a public meeting at Dhobi Ghatt Ground. “If he lacks public support for that rally, we can support him in that event,” Sikka said. He said December 8 would be business as usual for all traders. “No one should drag us into these issues when we have nothing to do with them,” he said. Former MPA Khawaja Muhammad Islam, Anjuman-i-Tajiran general secretary Mehmood Aalam Jatt and several leaders of trader’s bodies were also present.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 5^th, 2014.