SWAT: The traders in different parts of Swat observed a shutter down strike on Tuesday against recent wave of price hike and prolonged power loadshedding.

The shutter down strike was announced by Malakand Division Traders Federation. Major business centres, markets and shops in Mingora, Charbagh and Kalam remained closed for the entire day in protest against the record hike in the prices of daily use commodities and unscheduled power outages.

The protesters led by Swat Traders Federation president Abdul Rahim said that government failed to address the issues of people. Instead of reducing miseries of people, the government was devising cruel policies to overburden them, they added.

“We are shocked to see the unjust policies of government. The policies show the incompetency of rulers to run the country. The rulers do not realise miseries of people as it is constantly increasing prices of daily use items,” said Abdul Rahim.

He said that people were unable to purchase even flour and other food items. He said that constant increase in the prices of food items, unemployment and prolonged power loadshedding had become unbearable.

The traders said that government failed to understand public issues as the worst loadshedding, ever increasing unemployment and rising prices on a daily basis deprived the people of their right to live.

They said that people were forced to starve as they could not afford to buy food items. They said that the situation reached an alarming point as many people started begging due to unemployment and price hike.

They said that it was their duty to resist the cruel policies of the government. They added that they would not allow the government to crush the poor.

However, some commercial and business centers in Kabal and Barikot tehsils remained open. The strike was announced by the business community on Friday. All the major business and commercial centers, except medical stores and restaurants, in Mingora remained closed. The marble factories and other businesses also remained closed.

Published in Dawn, July 6th, 2022