HAMID KHAN WAZIR
Traders of capital’s fruit and vegetable market threatened to bring the routine life to standstill in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi if the government did not take action against the extortionists and the market committee.
Traders of capital’s fruit and vegetable market during a protest demonstration here on Sunday demanded of the Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar to take action against the rampant extortion and market committee.
They said that poor Pakhtun vendors were being harassed by the police unnecessarily, who were arrested on the pretext of Afghanis and were released after extorting money.
The speakers said that the administration should not create misunderstanding among traders on ethnic basis, as they were united and there was no difference in Pakhtun, Punjabi, Sindhi and Balochis.
They voiced concerns over the lack of attention of the concerned authority due to which fruit and vegetable market was facing a plethora of problems and was gradually turning into a health hazardous place.
Addressing the protestors, Fruit Market Traders Welfare Association President Agha Siraj said that they were a community paying the highest taxes, but look at the condition of the market it has neither street light nor water filtration plant.
He said that the police should not harass Afghani businessmen since the government allowed them to live in Pakistan legally by providing them special refugee cards.
Rotten fruits and vegetables thrown on ground caused odour as there was no waste management system, causing serious health issues, he added.
Siraj said that waste and disgusting smell welcomed customers at the market whereas encroachments and illegal stalls in the premises have further worsened the situation.
Besides, he said that the traders and people visiting the market face severe problems due to encroachments, cleanliness condition and poor security arrangements. He demanded of Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and Islamabad mayor to take action against the officials responsible for letting numerous illegal stalls otherwise they would be left with no option but to bring the routine life to a halt for acceptance of their due demands.