SUKKUR: Protest rallies were held in Sukkur and Jacobabad on Friday against violation of the Ehtaram-i-Ramazan Ordinance by owners and operators of eateries in the urban and rural areas of the two districts.

In Sukkur, a rally was taken out by the Shehri Ittehad which registered its protest against police inaction against owners and operators of eateries who, it said, had been running their businesses whole the day since the advent of Ramazan.

Led by Maulana Ubaidullah Bhutto, Habibullah Ansari and others, the protesters held a demonstration outside the local press club raising slogans against defiant traders. The leaders said that five restaurants located at the city point were openly serving their customers during the fasting time offering them everything available to eat and drink at the outlet. They also criticised open sale of liquor outside the Dharam Shala temple and certain other areas during day time in Ramazan.

They urged the Sukkur deputy commissioner and police to take appropriate action against violators of the ordinance.

In Jacobabad, leaders and activists of the Jamote Qaumi Movement took out a rally on Friday against violation of the ordinance by restaurant operators, shopkeepers and vendors in the city and other parts of the district.

The rally emerged from Shaheed Allah Bukhsh Park and ended outside the local press club. The participants kept raising slogans against errant people and the local administration throughout their march on the streets of the city.

Speaking to them outside the press club, Habib Lashari, Dr Mehbob Sahito, Mohammed Waris Abro, Ali Sher Abro and other leaders of the organisation criticised the district administration and police for adopting an indifferent attitude towards open violation of the ordinance.

They observed that people were eating and drinking at restaurants, roadside eateries, shops and stalls during the fasting time without any fear of action while the owners and operators of these outlets were doing their routine business in complete disregard of the ordinance.

They also alleged that besides an open sale of liquor, people were seen crowding gambling dens round-the-clock. They said either the administration had no control over them or it was not interested in implementing the ordinance.

They warned of a movement for the strict implementation of the ordinance if the administration continued to turn a blind eye towards the situation.

Published in Dawn, June 25th, 2016