KOHAT: The traders observed a shutter down strike against the arrest of a shopkeeper who was resisting an anti-encroachmentdrive and collection of identity cards by an official from them here on Tuesday.

About 600 shopkeepers closed their shops and held a protest rally in which they condemned the assistant commissioner for forcibly removing encroachments from the allotted five feet extension in the cantonment limits.

Grand business alliance chairman Haji Abid said the new assistant commissioner, Usman Ashraf, during a visit scuffled with the president of King Gate to Bannu Bazaar traders, Faheem Raza, and asked the police to arrest him.

He said the AC also took several identity cards from shopkeepers and asked them to meet him in his office.

Mr Abid said that meanwhile they received a message from district police officer Abdur Rauf for a meeting. He said they informed him that the bazaar president had been held from the cantonment area where shopkeepers had been allowed to extend up to five feet in the verandas.

He said the rule was different for main bazaar where under an agreement a space of 2.5 feet was allowed.

The DPO ordered the release of arrested trader during the meeting, but said those whose identity cards had been confiscated would be fined to implement the government’s writ. The shopkeepers later opened the shops in the afternoon, urging the DPO to resolve the problem to avoid such incidents in future.

SPORTS COMPLEX: District Development Advisory Committee chairman MPA Ziaullah Bangash has announced construction of a sports complex in Darra Adamkhel for which 150 kanals of land has been acquired. He said such complexes were under construction in Lachi and Gumbat tehsils.

Speaking at the inauguration of inter-constituency games-2022 in Kohat regional sports complex on Tuesday, he said football, cricket and volleyball teams from Kohat, Kurram, Orakzai, Karak and Hangu would participate in the competition. The teams would be selected today (Tuesday).

Published in Dawn, December 14th, 2022