GUJRAT: The changing schedule and strategy to prolong the long march by the leadership of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf have given rise to uncertainty among the local businessmen hit by delays in the delivery of consignments which ultimately cause them financial losses.

The routine businesses have suffered a lot in Gujranwala, Sialkot, Wazirabad and Gujrat, known as the golden industrial triangle of Pakistan, since the PTI long march roamed in the belt for almost a week until Nov 3 shooting, says Waheed Tanda, a former president of the Gujrat Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Talking to Dawn here on Monday, he said the operations of several factories had been shut or curtailed due to the delay in the supplies of raw material particularly in pottery, electric fans and plastic pipe sectors rendering the daily wage labour jobless.

He said the PTI’s sit-ins had been causing damage to already volatile economic conditions of the country as the transportation of goods like the fruits, vegetables and raw materials had been facing inordinate delays.

Abrupt road blockades disrupt delivery of consignments

Moreover, he said the administration and police did not cooperate with the businessmen by stopping the elements from hindering the trucks and other transport. He said local businessmen contacted the GtCCI representatives on Monday to express their grave concern over the situation and demanded that the government [at least] identify some locations for agitation.

Irfan, a local fruit vendor, said the small fruit and vegetable carts along the old GT road in the city could not do business last week as the police did not let them roam in their respective areas and locations due to the security arrangements for the march. But, he said, now the uncertainty had gripped the fruit and vegetable markets due to the apprehensions of further delays in supplies [from farm to market] due to prolonged road blockades.

He questioned how a commoner who depended on daily earning could survive in such a situation as when the normalcy was about to return, the resumption of long march had been announced.

Same is the situation in the Wazirabad town that is a hub of manufacturing and trading of cutlery and stainless utensils industry as the supplies of consignment had suffered a lot, Nadeem Hussain, a local businessman, said and added that there had been sigh a of relief during the last couple of days with a hope to return to normalcy but the announcement of resumption of long march and frequent changes in the schedule on Monday had caused a further concern for the businessmen.

Under its new schedule of rallies led by Shah Mahmood and Asad Umer, the PTI will touch almost every city in central and upper Punjab before reaching Islamabad.

Naeem Ahmed, an academician from Wazirabad, said he had been struck in Lahore for at least a couple of days due to the blockade in Gujranwala on Thursday last as he had to return to Lahore from Chan Da Qila after failing to reach Wazirabad.

He claimed that he had witnessed a lot of PTI men snatching the ignition keys of trucks and heavy vehicles plying along GT road causing massive traffic jams and had asked several policemen to help the motorists but they declined to do so for not having such instructions from the high-ups.

Meanwhile, police contingents from neighbouring towns brought to ensure security along the long march route, had returned to their districts after Imran Khan called off the march after the Nov 3 shooting. Now the Punjab government has summoned them again.

A police official said a hefty amount is being spent on their lodging and boarding.

Published in Dawn, November 8th, 2022