KOHAT: The wholesale dealers of the government fruit and vegetable market here on Thursday demonstrated in front of the deputy commissioner’s office, demanding the closure of a private market running ‘illegally’ since 2015.

They claimed there was a ban on private markets, and existence of two markets in one district was causing them and the tehsil municipal administration huge losses.

They said the TMA had constructed the market on 67 kanals of land, but was getting little in terms of taxes as most shopkeepers and buyers were attracted to the private market.

On the occasion, president of the government market Fayyaz Afridi told reporters that when they started business in 2009 they were making good profits as there was no other competitor. However, he said after the setting up of the private market only two kilometres from the main bazaar, they were sustaining big losses. He said majority of investors had left the government market and went to the private one.

Mr Afridi said the TMA had shifted them from the city market after 32 years to the newly-constructed market on Bannu Road to avoid rush in the urban area. “But the private market was operating in the same area and the TMA had no objection to it, which smelled a rat,” he lamented.

He said a letter had been written to the chief secretary by Kohat city mayor Mufti Sher Zaman, and several resolutions had been passed by the council, demanding an end to the private market, but to no avail.

Later, deputy commissioner Dr Azmatullah Wazir held a meeting with Mr Afridi, urging him to end the protest. He also tasked assistant commissioner Usman Ashraf to meet the traders and address their concerns.

On the other hand, owner of the private market, Shahbaz Gul Shinwari told Dawn on contact that he had a court order that restricted anybody from taking action against the bazaar till the final verdict.

He claimed an NOC for the private market was in the final stages.

PROTEST: The lawyers’ community took out a procession here on Thursday against the atrocities of Israeli forces against the oppressed Palestinians.

The lawyers holding placards gathered at the Martyrs Square. They said Hamas had launched a daring attack on Israel due to its decades-long brutalities against the innocent people.

President of Kohat bar association Javed Panji Advocate said the Palestinians, including women and children, were being killed cruelly.

Published in Dawn, October 13th, 2023