LAHORE: The citizens in the provincial metropolis and other parts of the Punjab faced another terrible day on Monday due to closure of markets in the major cities of the province in the wake of ongoing protests of religious activists of Tehreek-e-Labaik Ya Rasool Allah (TLYR), belonging to the Barelvi/Sunni sects of Islam.
The supply of petrol to the provincial capital and other major cities of the province was also halted as many protesters staged their sit-in at different roads, which further added to the problems of the citizens.
Following the protest, many traders’ association of the city and other parts of the province on Sunday had announced to shut the markets in solidarity with the protestors staging sit-in at Faizabad, Islamabad, to demand the resignation of Law Minister Zahid Hamid.
All the bazaars, markets, shopping plazas, including Abbot Road, Rang Mahal, Azam Cloth Market, Shah Alam market, McLeod road, Hall road, Mall road, Queens road, Abid market, Jail road, Ichhra, Ferozepur road, Bedon road, Suha bazaar, Sarafa bazaar, Paper market, Currency market, Akbari Mandi, Chemical market, Ravi road, Naulakha bazaar, Lunda bazaar, Garhi Shahu, Circular road, Badami Bagh, Walton road, Chowk Yatim Khana bazaar, Samanabad, Liberty market, Main market, Firdous market, Cavalry Ground market, Mini market Gulberg, Shadman market, Barkat market, Moon market and Gulshan Ravi, remained closed throughout the day.
However, after the reports of successful negotiations between the government and TLYR leadership, the markets located in Defence Housing Authority (DHA), MM Alam, Garden Town and other posh areas, started opening in the evening.
An office bearer of Hall road market association, while talking to Pakistan Today, said that they closed the markets in solidarity with the protestors pressing forward for a holy cause. On a question, he said that bearing the loss of a little business was nothing as compared to religious duty. “The closure of markets provoked the government to accept the demands of the protestors,” he said, while taking some credit for bringing the government to its knees.
All entrances and exits around the metropolis had been closed due to the ongoing protests, that not just suspended the traffic but also the supply of edible items, as many trucks and containers were parked far away from major roads in different cities of the province. A vegetable seller in Johar town, named Haji Shafiq, said that he could just purchase potatoes and onions which were already present in the utility stores around the city.
Since the series of protests started on Saturday morning, the petrol supply to the city had also been disrupted badly, as hundreds of oil tankers were parked away from the exit and entry points of the city.
Many petrol pumps across the city remained closed due to shortage of fuel. Others had placed signboards stating that there was no fuel available. Hundreds of cars and motorcycles were lined outside the city’s fuel stations where petrol was available. At some petrol pumps cars were being sold petrol up to a limit of Rs 500, while motorcycles were being allowed to buy petrol up to Rs 100.
Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association’s Lahore zone Vice President Nauman Chaudhary told Pakistan Today that more than 70 per cent of petrol pumps in the city faced the shortage of petrol. He said that not a single oil tanker could enter the city since Saturday morning.
“Currently there are 550 petrol pumps in the city, out of which 400 were closed due to unavailability of petrol and diesel,” He further said that during the three days of protest, petroleum dealers had to bear a loss of more than Rs150 million.
However, Nauman said that petrol pumps would start receiving supply soon after improvement in law and order situation.