PESHAWAR: Police officials and traders’ representatives here on Thursday discussed issues pertaining to security, traffic and encroachments and agreed to make coordinated efforts for resolution of these problems.

The joint meeting of police and Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry office-bearers was held at the chamber wherein CCPO Mohammad Ali Gandapur and businessmen shared their views.

SCCI acting president Shahid Hussain urged the police to take serious notice of the incidents pertaining to extortion and kidnapping threats and provide proper security to the businessmen. He lauded the ongoing reforms initiated by the police department for elimination of crimes, saying there was need for devising a long-term security plan.

He demanded of the police to take notice of extortion calls to traders and prompt action against those involved in such cases.

Mr Hussain said that the cost of doing business had also increased due to increasing crime incidents.

However, the CCPO said that security of business community was the top priority of police and assured them that the police would devise a strategy in this regard in coordination with the traders’ bodies and other relevant stakeholders.

He said that steps were underway for prevention of extortion and kidnapping for ransom in the provincial capital.

Mr Gandapur said that coordination between the business community and police would be further developed to focus on early resolution of these issues.

He also said that a comprehensive traffic management plan would be finalised shortly with the coordination of traders to cope with increasing traffic congestion, encroachments and other related issues in the city. He said the work on safe city project was being carried out on fast track basis.

Ghazanfar Bilour, Shaukat Ali Khan, Riaz Arshad, Malik Niaz Ahmad, Ziaul Haq Sarhadi and Malik Niaz Awan gave suggestions for resolution of issues of the business community. Peshawar’s SSP operations, SP traffic and office-bearers of different unions of traders also attended the meeting.

Published in Dawn, January 17th, 2020