Aftermath: Traders take to the streets, SHO suspended

One person died in the Gomel Market clashes on Friday

DI KHAN: The city SHO was suspended and traders took to the streets of DI Khan City on Thursday to protest an armed clash in Gomel Market which left a man dead and seven others injured a day earlier. A large number of shopkeepers and traders closed their businesses and burnt tyres. Bannu Road, Circular Road and Tank Road remained blocked for traffic.

Police resorted to baton-charge, aerial firing and tear-gas shelling to disperse protesters.

Dozens of traders were also put behind bars. Following police action, shops and roads were reopened and routine and commercial activities were restored. However, there is strong likelihood of more protests and violence in the city.

Action and reaction

DI Khan DPO Sadiq Hussain Baloch has suspended SHO City Police Station Abid Iqbal for failing to take action to prevent the Gomel Market incident.

City Police Station has registered an FIR against 125 people. Of these, five people have been nominated by Abdul Rashid, brother of the trader who lost his life in the clashes.

Mourning period

During a news conference, representatives of trader associations announced a three-day mourning period to express solidarity with the victims and their families. Speaking on the occasion, Gomel Market Union President Sharif Chohan condemned the incident. “I request the government to punish those involved ,” he said.

According to Chohan, the fight was possibly triggered by ethnic differences between a Pukhtun trader and a Rajput. “However, this is a one-off incident,” he said. “Pukhtuns and Rajputs have peacefully coexisted in the city for many years.”  The DPO, however, denied ethnic differences were the catalyst. Speaking to journalists, he said the police arrested 50 suspects.

About widespread demonstrations in the city following the armed clash, Baloch said everyone had the right to protest. “However, protesters should not resort to violence,” he added.

Armed clash

During Wednesday’s clashes, two groups of traders hurled stones at each other over a dispute. This escalated into an armed clash. As the fighting escalated, police reached the scene and resorted to baton-charging and tear gas to prevent the situation from spiralling out of control.

A search operation was later carried out in Gomel Market and a large number of people were rescued. Subsequently, the family of the deceased protested outside District Headquarters and Teaching Hospital DI Khan. Tyres were burnt and Circular Road was blocked for traffic.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 19^th, 2015.