FAISALABAD: More than four dozen shopkeepers were booked by the Kotwali police for staging a protest demonstration against the government and violating the lockdown restrictions on Wednesday.

Scores of traders of different bazaars of Clock Tower staged a protest demonstration and refused to accept the lockdown citing financial hardships.

Police raided the shops, thrashed the shopkeepers and arrested them.

Submitting an application, Kotwali police SHO Asad Ali said President of Mobile Market at Kutchery Bazaar Aamir Sandy, Saeed Ahmed (president of Jamia Masjid Market), Abbas Haider and Arslan were leading the people who were challenging the writ of the government.

He said the agitators chanted slogans against the government, administration and police and that they would not accept the lockdown.

Govt officials attacked in Bahawalnagar

Shopkeepers blocked Aminpur Bazar Chowk and also provoked the public.

The SHO said the masses had been informed about the lockdown imposed by the government.

Violators were booked under sections 147, 149, 186, 188, 290, 291, 353 and 505 of the Pakistan Penal Code, 5/6 of Sound System Regulation Act of 2015 and section 17-5 of Punjab Infection Control Ordinance of 2002.

BAHAWALNAGAR: The Mcleodganj Police on Wednesday booked eight shopkeepers for beating revenue officials, including tehsildar, tearing up the challan book and looting fine from them during a raid for checking lockdown.

Tehsildar Muhammad Naeem Monga with other revenue officials was checking businesses when a few restaurant owners and their employees attacked them. During the altercation, attackers beat government officials and looted Rs55,000 from them and they tore the challan book and other documents.

The Mcleodganj Police filed a case on the complaint of the Minchinabad tehsildar whereas the business community has called to dismiss the charges.

The Bahawalnagar Baldia Unit Trade Union marched against the hefty fines on lockdown violation. The protestors said that a lockdown in the Eid season was financial murder of business community and they would not sit silently.

Shopkeepers in Minchinabad and Chishtian as well as other parts of the district protested against the fines imposed for the violation of the lockdown.

Published in Dawn, July 30th, 2020