RAWALPINDI: Traders of Raja Bazaar staged a protest by pulling down their shutters against their rival group who they claimed was supporting the encroachment mafia.

The traders also blocked traffic which caused long queues on either side of the road in the bazaar.

The protesters later gathered at Fawara Chowk and chanted slogans demanding the authorities take action against the ‘bhatta mafia’.

A traders’ representative told mediapersons that shopkeepers were being attacked and their goods taken away by the encroachers’ mafia.

They also claimed that they were not allowed to speak at an open kutchery held in Gordon College on Saturday where the deputy commissioner, city police officer and MNA Rashid Shafique were present.

“We wanted to bring the issue in the knowledge of the DC and CPO but we were not allowed to speak by the organisers,” said the trader.

Assistant Commissioner City Naeem Afzal along with the police reached the scene and held a meeting with the protesters. The shopkeepers claimed that vendors encroaching roads and footpaths had attacked them.

The AC assured the protesters that encroachment would not be allowed in the bazaar and action would be taken against them. Later, the protesters dispersed peacefully.

Published in Dawn, July 9th, 2019