CONTINUED from page 1 – The unidentified armed men were reportedly roaming in and around business and shopping centres and ordering the closure of shops. The worst incidents of terror took place along the MA Jinnah Road, city’s centre of economic activities, where some unidentified persons threatened traders with loss to life and property if they did not obey their order. In some of the areas, armed men took out rallies and made announcement of strike in the city for Friday (today). The traders of Bolton Market told Pakistan Today that unidentified armed men came into the market and visited each shop and asked every trader to keep the shops closed today. He said some of the traders had closed their shops and went to their houses. Later, the armed gunmen went to markets in Kharadar and Methadar and harassed the traders and shopkeepers there as well, he added.
City Town Superintendent of Police Qamar Raza Jiskani confirmed incidents of harassment at Bolton Market, Kharadar and Methadar. He said some unidentified armed men had visited the markets and warned the shopkeepers and traders against opening shops on Friday in order to make the PPP strike successful. He said police did not have orders to stop these delinquents from forcibly closing the markets, adding that police deployment would be enhanced on Friday to let routine economic activities continue. To a question, he said everyone knew who was closing down markets on the strike call.
On the other hand, some unidentified armed men took out rallies in southern part of the city and made announcements through the loud speakers warning the shopkeepers to keep their businesses closed on Friday. Some incidents of terror were also reported in Gulshan-e-Iqbal and Gulistan-e-Jauhar. Some unidentified persons took out rallies on the Main University Road and at Disco Bakery Chowk, warning shopkeepers to close their shops on Friday. Aerial firing was reported from Jauhar Morr and Jauhar Chowrangi.
