July 29, 2007	Sunday	Rajab 13, 1428

ISLAMABAD, July 28: Representatives of traders want the government to move security forces away from markets because they feel the forces are more a security threat than protection to them.

“We have requested the high ups in the government to move away the police forces and Pakistan Ranges from Aabapara market,” President of the Aabpara Market Ajmal Baloch. told Dawn on Saturday.

He said the request was made in a meeting with the commissioner of Islamabad and ministry of interior spokesman.

This unusual move by the traders was prompted by the feeling that they are becoming victims of suicide bombings and revenge attacks mainly due to the presence of security forces.

“We will protect ourselves. We don’t need the support of the polices forces or others,” Mr Baloch said.

It has been observed that law enforcement personal have become the prime target of suicide bombers.

Shopkeepers of the Aabpara Market observed shutter down strike on Saturday to express sympathy with the people killed or wounded in Friday’s suicide attack.

Only a few food outlets opened to serve the people who live in and around the market.

“It was not a strike call from the association but a decision of the shopkeepers themselves,” Mr Baloch said.

When asked how he can say that the law enforcement personnel were the main target of the suicide bombers, he cited the Friday’s incident, saying “since noon more than 400 people were standing at the site of the blast to witness the skirmishes between security forces and supporters of Lal Masjid Khateeb, Maulana Abdul Aziz”.

When the personnel of the Punjab constabulary were positioned at the site of bomb blast to stop the protesters from entering the Lal Masjid area, the suicide bomber blew himself up killing scores of people.

He suggested that it was in the interest of both the security forces and citizens to keep the forces away from the markets and residential areas to avoid such kind of incidents.

He requested the government to provide compensation to the shop owners, whose shops were destroyed in the bomb blast.

Meanwhile, Vice-President of Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry Mohammad Hussain in a statement strongly condemned the incident of terrorism at Aabpara Market and expressed his heartfelt condolence with the aggrieved families of the victims.

He said such acts are against Islam and Pakistan.

He stressed the law enforcement agencies to remain vigilant to avoid such incidents in future.