BATTAGRAM: The local traders take to streets here the other day against Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Halal Food Authority for conducting raids on their shops and imposing fines on them.

The protesting traders gathered at Khatm-i-Nabuwat Chowk and blocked Karakoram Highway to traffic by setting tyres on fire. They also chanted slogans against the official of Food Authority.

The president traders’ union, Abdul Ghaffar Deshani, and others addressed the protesters. They said that officials of Food Authority team visited their shops and imposed heavy fines on them. They said that it was not acceptable to them.

They said that officials of food department, consumer court and so many other departments also inspected their shops and imposed fines on them. They said that officials of Food Authority imposed Rs25,000 fine on a hotel. They said that imposition of heavy fines was sheer injustice with the poor traders of the backward area.

The protesters said that business activities were already affected by high inflation and the officials were further burdening traders with imposition of heavy fines. They added that all governments badly failed in providing relief to the business community.

They said that they were against those traders, who were violating government orders, but it didn’t mean that government officials should treat them in such a way in the name of efficiency. They demanded of the government to look into the matter and provide relief to traders.

Published in Dawn, February 18th, 2023