Peshawar traders to extend protest against lawlessness

PESHAWAR: Traders have announced expansion of their ongoing protest drive against poor law and order, particularly growing incidents of kidnapping for ransom, and have asked the provincial government to either rein in criminals or stand down.

“We are going to spread our protest campaign to the entire province against the current ugly conditions for which a line of action would be evolved in the first week of February,” Tajir Ittehad’s provincial President Haleem Jan told The News on Monday.

Haleem Jan said later traders of the entire country would be taken on board. He said the Tajir Ittehad, a conglomeration of five trade unions of Peshawar, had already set up protest camps at Chowk Yadgar, University Road and Peshawar Cantonment against government’s inability to control criminal activities. Similarly, he said a protest camp would be set up at Qissa Khwani Bazaar on Tuesday.

He said banners with black background had been displayed across the city with slogans of ‘quit power’ for government’s failure to protect the people. “The protest campaign has been launched to condemn increasing incidents of kidnapping. The drive has no political dimension. We don’t do politics rather are concerned about our businesses,” Haleem declared.

In the prevailing circumstances, he added, poor law and order had seriously affected business environment in the province besides creating a sense of fear among people. The traders’ alliance leader went on to say a large number of businessmen were seriously contemplating migrating to other places in the country or abroad, adding shifting of investment from the NWFP would have an adverse impact on the economy of the region.

Because of poor law and order, he said, the Peshawar market had witnessed a sharp fall of up to 70 per cent in profit margin of various businesses. “Kidnapping for ransom has made life miserable for the people but the Chief Minister’s House, Governor’s House and homes of security forces personnel are being raised only to protect them.” In such a situation, he said, investment in the province was out of question, adding the federal and provincial governments should at least curb kidnapping incidents.