LAKKI MARWAT: The business community and transporters on Saturday withdrew their strike call after successful talks with the local administration and police over the entry of heavy vehicles to the Bannu city.

The traders and transporters had announced to go on a strike against the ban on entry of heavy vehicles to Bannu city, prompting the local authorities to engage them in talks.

Bannu district police officer Imran Shah and assistant commissioner Dr Tayyab Hayat held the talks with the traders and transporters at the police lines.

Both sides agreed to review the traffic plan and allow entry of heavy vehicles to the city on an experimental basis.

It was also agreed that the administration and the police would try to find new routes for tractor-trolleys to avoid traffic mess and blockade of roads in the urban locality.

DPO Imran Shah told the businessmen and transporters that the traffic plan was part of the administration’s initiative to ease traffic flow in Bannu city and facilitate motorists and the general public.

He welcomed the proposals of office-bearers of transporters and traders’ bodies and said a revised traffic plan would be released soon. He asked the traders to install CCTV cameras in their outlets as it would help curb robbery and theft incidents and enable police to bring those involved in such crimes into clutches of law.

WEEKLY MARKET: The tehsil municipal administration held a weekly market in Betanni tribal subdivision on Saturday to provide the tribesmen essential commodities at subsidised rates.

An official said deputy commissioner Iqbal Hussain Bacha had directed the municipal body to start holding weekly market in the tribal subdivision.

He said the facility was available to the residents of Lakki, Naurang, Tajori, Darra Pezu, Ghaznikhel, Landiwah and other localities of the district.

A large number of people had gathered in the market for purchase and sale of food commodities and livestock.

Published in Dawn, February 20th, 2022