City traders on Wednesday welcomed the decision of banning all protests on The Mall. Pakistan Today had highlighted the issue of non-implementation of Section 144 on The Mall in its news story published on November 2 (Wednesday). Traders demanded of the Punjab government to implement the decision in letter and spirit. They said that their businesses suffer losses of millions of rupees due to protests. Anjuman-e-Tajran Electronics Hall Road and Link McLeod Road General Secretary Amin Mazhar Butt, welcoming the decision, said that it was very necessary that the Punjab government implements the decision. He said that whenever there was any rally on The Mall all shops and business centres were closed. “There is no business activity whenever there is any protest and as a result, we suffer huge losses,” he said, adding that traders were already under pressure due to poor law and order and rallies play havoc with their business. “Whenever there is any protest, markets of Hall Road, The Mall and Beadon Road are closed and there is no business activity,” he added. Mall Road Traders Association General Secretary Qazi Aftab said that no political party or any organisation should be allowed to hold protests on The Mall. He said that the Punjab government should take serious action against violators and not allow any person or party to violate the decision. “We earn our bread and butter and whoever tries to deprive us from this right is not sincere with us,” he added. Traders also said that a large number of daily wagers were victims of these rallies.
