DERA ISMAIL KHAN: A large number of traders, including chemists, protest on Tuesday after the district administration launched an anti-encroachment operation outside the District Headquarters Hospital here.

Following the operation, members of various traders’ bodies and chemists’ association gathered on the main road and chanted slogans against the administration.

The protesters alleged the administration caused unnecessary damage to shops and property and did not issue any prior notice to the affected business owners. They demanded immediate compensation, warning that a complete shutter-down strike would be observed across the city if their grievances were ignored.

Speaking to the protesters, Mohammad Ramzan, president of chemists and druggists association, said the operation was ‘illegal and hostile to business’. He said medical supply stores provided essential public service, yet their premises were damaged ‘without justification’.

Traders claim admin did not issue prior notices to them

Sohail Ahmed Azmi, president of central traders’ union, said the business community always respected the law, but ‘irresponsible’ actions by the administration left them with no option but to respond strongly. He warned if losses were not compensated, traders would go on a strike.

Chaudhry Jameel Ahmed, president of traders’ association of Eastern Circular Road, said small shopkeepers and daily wage earners suffered the most during the anti-encroachment drive.

PROTEST CAMP: Representatives of several organisations set up a protest camp on Tuesday at GPO Chowk against the provincial government for constituting a committee to investigate the recent firing incident at Gomal University, in which a student was injured by a security official.

The protest camp, organised by Gomal University pensioners’ association, was attended by members of the traders’ community, clerks’ unions, lawyers, the Baloch community and other local groups.

Addressing the gathering, speakers said Vice-Chancellor Dr Zafar Iqbal Baloch had stabilised the declining institution and rescued it from years of mismanagement, administrative disorder and academic and financial corruption under previous vice-chancellors. They credited him for restoring discipline and reforming the academic environment.

Speakers included among others president of central traders’ union Sohail Ahmed Azmi, chairman of pensioners’ association Shafqatullah Alizai, president of Dera Baloch Ittehad Zubair Baloch, and Pakistan Workers Federation representative Rehmatullah.

The speakers said Dr Zafar Iqbal, being a native of Dera, had worked tirelessly to curb financial irregularities and improve academic standards. However, they alleged the ‘old corrupt mafia’ backed by certain political figures, had become active again to undermine him.

They announced that a petition would be filed in the high court against the investigation committee formed by the Higher Education Commission.

Meanwhile, a notification issued by the establishment section of Gomal University stated that the nominated accused in the incident – assistant director admissions-cum-security officer Nasrullah Marwat – had been suspended for one month.

The vice-chancellor has also formed a five-member inquiry committee and directed it to submit findings within three days.

Published in Dawn, November 26th, 2025