PESHAWAR: Traders have expressed serious concerns over increase in tariffs of power and natural gas, saying they would launch a protest campaign against the government if the increase is not withdrawn immediately.

Tanzeem Tajiran Khyber Pakhtunkhwa additional general secretary Shakeel Ahmad Saraf and Shahzad Ahmad Siddiqui in their separate statements here on Monday criticised government for increase in the prices of essential commodities. They demanded of the federal government to reconsider its decisions in that regard.

“Business community is unable to continue trade activities in the prevailing situation and it has been left with only option to launch a protest movement against the government at national level for an indefinite period,” they said.

Shakeel Ahmad Saraf said that the decision to launch the protest movement was taken by the representatives of traders in a state of compulsion as they were unable to pay the inflated utility bills.

Ask govt to reduce prices of petroleum products and other items

He said that most of the people could not afford to pay their utility bills. He said that people were forced to sell household items to pay the inflated utility bills. “Provision of free electricity and other privileges to the country’s elite is a burden on the national exchequer and an injustice to the people, especially taxpayers,” he added.

Mr Saraf said that industry was on the brink of collapse in the country and traders were fed up with their businesses as the government was least bothered to provide any relief to the poverty-stricken people.

“People are no more concerned about development work as they want get just a two-time meal with dignity, which has become impossible owing to the unprecedented inflation,” he said.

About the proposed agitation, he said that traders would display protest banners at the markets in the first phase. In the second phase, protest rallies will be held in the entire Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Later, a nationwide shutter-down strike will be announced in consultation with all stakeholders.

Meanwhile, All Pakistan Commercial Exporters Association patron Haji Mamor Khan has said that the government has failed to control price hike and unemployment in the country.

He demanded of the government to take effective measures to control prices of petroleum products, electricity, natural gas and LPG. He said that people were unable to feed and educate their children in the prevailing situation.

Published in Dawn, August 8th, 2023