January 04, 2009	Sunday	Muharram 06, 1430

PESHAWAR, Jan 3: Trading community of Peshawar threatened on Saturday to intensify their protest drive against unabated incidents of kidnapping for ransom and frequent power cuts.

The announcement to this effect was made during a reception-dinner held by the trading community for newly elected body of the Peshawar Press Club under the auspices of the Traders Alliance, an amalgam of five different trade organisations of the city, Cantonment and University Road.

The trading community launched a protest movement in December with a slogan of ‘Hame Tahafuz Do Ya Hakumat Chor Do’ (provide us protection or quit the government). In the first phase, the traders hung black banners at different markets inscribed with anti-government slogans, while the second phase featured a two-day protest camp at Chowk Yadgar on 29th and 30th of Dec. And in the third phase, the traders plan to organise protest camps on University and Saddar roads.

The traders threatened that if the government failed to restore peace and provide protection to the people, then they would go for shutter down and road blocks. They also threatened not to pay utility bills and taxes and could even go to the extent of launching a movement of civil disobedience in which traders and civil society representatives would court arrests.

They said they were also in touch with the people from different walks of society including doctors, lawyers, transporters, trade unions and civil society to make them part and parcel of their struggle.

The speakers included among others central chairman of the Traders Alliance NWFP, Haji Haleem Jan, Haji Mohammad Afzal of Anjuman Tajiran, Haji Ghufran Saraf of Muttahida Tajiran, Mian Mohammad Akhtar of Traders Coordination Committee and Shakeel Ahmad Khan, general secretary of the Traders Alliance.

Expressing concern over deteriorating law and order particularly the growing incidents of kidnapping for ransom, daylight robberies and dacoities in the city, the traders stressed that peace was a prerequisite for progress and development of the country.