SAHIWAL: The row between the Markazi Anjuman-i-Tajaran (MAT) and the district administration intensified after the arrest of traders’ leader Shaikh Ijaz.

Deputy Commissioner Babar Bashir brought out a 15-day detention order of Shaikh Ijaz and Metropolitan Corporation employee Kashif Gujjar shared it on the social media. “Shaikh Ijaz has been put under the custody of Superintendent, Central Prison, Sahiwal for 15 days,” reads the order.

Earlier, the traders blamed ‘highhandedness’ by officials who cracked down on the violators of lockdown and Covid-19 SOPs at markets. The traders leaders said the officials were intimidating and insulting them whereas the latter blamed the MAT for instigating eight affiliated traders’ associations to defy SOPs -- an allegation Shaikh Ijaz and Sahiwal Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Asim Rafiq denied.

The traders said Awais’ detention order having the DC office seal and other details was unsigned and therefore, contorversial. They said the order was meant to intimidate the traders. The MAT also hosted a series of meetings and passed a resolution condemning the district administration for intimidating them instead of cooperating with them.

The MAT warned that in case any public unrest emerged the sole responsibility would be of the district administration. Sources said the representatives of eight traders’ associations were planning to run a public (banner) campaign, launch complaints at PM Portal and send resolutions to the chief minister and the chief secretary.

Many former presidents of the SCCI, representatives of the District Ittehad-i-Bainul Masalik Peace Committee, civil society and traders of mobile phones, grain and fruit and vegetable markets, sweets and bakers and petroleum have called the government out for the detention of Awais and demanded that he should be set at liberty.

On last Thursday and Friday, a team of district administration and Metropolitan Corporation raided a market where officials had a clash with Shaikh Awais who owns a mobile phone shop. The administration team was led by Assistant Commissioner Sarmad Hussain and Kashif Gujjar. The video of torture of Awais went viral on the social media.

Awais visited the DHQ hospital for medical examination while the administration had a case registered against him on the complaint of a price magistrate under sections of PPC and 16-MPO section at the Fatehsher police.

The AC claimed that Awais was violating Covid-SOPs whereas the latter said he was insulted despite the fact that his shop was locked even before the lockdown time.

Police raided Awais’ Tariq Bin Ziyyad Colony residence but he escaped and obtained bail from the district courts the next day. Police and Municipal Corporation staff again insulted him. Eyewitnesses said senior Bar members headed by Tahir Bashir intervened and forbade police to arrest the trader.

In another such incident, Ghala Mandi Association president Farooq Toor was captured by the price magistrate and put under two-hour illegal detention at the city police station.

SCCI president Asim Rafiq and executive member Sardar Zafar Ghumman said the situation was heading towards a deadlock. Mr Rafiq said that before bringing out the detention order, the district government should have negotiated with representatives of the MAT and the SCCI instead of using intimidatory tactics.

“Arm-twisting tactics is not the solution to the crisis situation,” PML-N MPA Malik Nadeem Kamran told Dawn.

AC Sarmad Hussain denied issuing Shaikh Ijaz’s detention order and said the order had come out on the report of the District Intelligence Committee.

Awais said he had not received any detention order but was ready to court arrest at 15 Chowk.

The traders organisations have demanded that the government set Awais at liberty to avoid a showdown.

Published in Dawn, May 12th, 2021

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