April 12, 2003	Saturday	Safar 9, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, April 11: Kiosk owners on Friday staged a protest demonstration in front of the Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid-i- Azam) office against what they termed as the highhandedness of Capital Development Authority.

The protesters gathered outside the office when Nilofer Bakhtiar, adviser to the prime minister on social welfare, was holding an open Kutchery there.

Chanting slogans against the CDA’s Directorate of Municipal Administration (DMA), around 200 members of the Khokha Association criticized both the official concerned and the indifferent attitude of the local political leadership toward their problems.

Office bearers of the association told Dawn that encroachments were being made in connivance with the DMA officials at various places in the capital. On the other hand, the CDA people were busy in harassing the poor, they added.

They said, at present there were around 381 small shops and around 300 tea stalls in the capital which meant that about 700 families were attached to this business.

“Owing to the ever-increasing prices and cost of living, we are hardly making both ends meet out of these kiosks, mainly comprising small retailers, roadside restaurants, tea stalls and fruit shops,” they said.

“We are registered with the DMA and have valid licenses but are being treated as if we have illegally established these kiosks,” they added.

Criticizing the new DMA director, the protesters said since his appointment—for the last two months—a significant increase in the daily raids of the DMA people had been observed.

“Most of the time they come up with charges like lack of cleanliness, unhygienic food and fruit and take everything away from us,” they said.

“Quite often, they (DMA staffers) come to my hotel take free-of-cost lunch and when I demand bill they simply refuse, instead, threaten us with serious consequences,” one of the protesters said.

He said majority of the kiosks owners were running these small businesses for more than three decades.

Answering a question, they said, open kutchery were of no use. “Though she has accepted our file but I am sure that it will remain in her office, unattended,” he added.

Meanwhile, Ms Bakhtiar told the applicants that necessary actions would be taken soon.

She said the kiosk owners problems would be looked into after proper investigations.

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