MURREE: The ongoing protests are inflicting a heavy toll on the traders in Murree and adjoining areas, who do roaring business during the peak time in summer.

The traders of Murree depend on the two-month-long summer season when people from all over the country visit the hill station.

First they were not able to do much business as Ramazan fell in the middle of the tourist season which kept visitors away. And now, the sit-ins have led to blockage of roads and thereby cutting off Murree.

As a result the number of visitors to the hill station has dropped in the last few days.

Anjuman Tajiran Murree President Abdul Hameed Abbasi, while addressing a protest by traders at GPO Chowk, said hotels and shops in the area were facing huge loss.

Hundreds of shopkeepers, hoteliers and other traders participated in the protest and chanted slogans.

They demanded that the administration immediately open the roads leading to Murree to save them and their families from severe financial crisis.

Mr Abbasi said political forums should be used to fight for political rights. Such protests should not take place at the cost of the business of traders and workers, he added.

Published in Dawn, August 19th, 2014