BAJAUR: Traders of Lowi Sam Bazaar here on Tuesday staged a protest demonstration against lack of basic facilities and delay in payment of compensation for their shops destroyed in the war on terrorism in 2008.

A number of socio-political figures also participated in the demonstration held on Bajaur-Peshawar road in the main bazaar.

Holding placards inscribed with their demands the protesters chanted slogans against the district administration and local MNA and MPA for ignoring the bazaar in provision of required facilities.

The traders said the Lowi Sam Bazaar, which was destroyed in 2008, had more than 450 shops. They said the bazaar lacked proper arrangements of electricity, drainage system, drinking water, bank and road though it was re-established some 10 years ago.

They recalled that besides the administration MNA Gul Dad Khan and his brother MPA Ajmal Khan had also assured them of the provision of facilities in the bazaar during their election campaigns, but no steps could be taken as yet.

The traders also complained that almost all shops in the bazaar were demolished in the war on terrorism, but the government failed to provide compensation to any of the affected traders even after passage of 14 years.

Published in Dawn, October 5th, 2022