CHARSADDA/DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Traders took to streets in Charsadda against smart lockdown, increase in petroleum prices, increased taxes and penalties imposed by Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) as well as power and gas outages.

The protest was held on the call of Central Traders Organisation. The protest rally was organised by Tajir Ittehad Charsadda. The protesters, after passing through various bazaars, gathered at Farooq-i-Azam Chowk.

Addressing the protesters, senior vice president of Tajir Ittehad Charsadda Waheedullah Durrani, general secretary Habibullah Tailor, Jamaat-i-Islami leader Naveed Khan and others said that inflation was badly affecting businesses.

They said that traders were facing severe difficulties owing to smart lockdown, excessive taxation by FBR and frequent power outages. They also referred to the recent killing of religious scholar Maulana Mohammad Idrees, saying the incident reflected deteriorating law and order situation in the region.

Protesters also ask govt to control power and gas outages

Speakers alleged that narcotics dealers were operating freely while small shopkeepers struggling to earn livelihood for their families were being forced to close businesses on the pretext of smart lockdown.

Traders termed the situation “regrettable and condemnable” and urged government to take immediate steps to address the issues faced by them. They said that traders would follow any future course of action announced by central and provincial leadership of businessmen if their demands were not met.

Traders in Dera Ismail Khan also staged a protest demonstration against increases in petroleum prices, electricity and gas tariffs, taxation and what they called official excesses by regulatory departments.

The protest was held at Chughliya Chowk on the call of Markazi Anjuman-i-Tajran, Tajir Ittehad and Tajir Action Committee as part of a countrywide protest campaign announced by trader organisations.

The demonstration was led by Sohail Ahmed Azmi, Chaudhry Jameel Ahmed, Hamid Ali Rehmani, Khalid Naz, Sharif Chauhan, Karim Wazir, Chaudhry Javed Akhtar and Haji Mohammad Ramzan.

A large number of traders participated in the protest along with representatives of various organisations and members of civil society, including Chamber of Agriculture president Haji Abdul Rashid Dhap, former district bar general secretary Akhtar Saeed, Allah Ditta Sajid of Khaksar Tehreek, Haji Aqeel Damrah, Mahmood Kharoti, Mohammad Arshad, Irfan Bettani and Asad Nizami.

Former district council member Dilshad Begum and several other women also attended the demonstration.

Addressing the gathering, speakers criticised government over rising inflation and utility costs, alleging that repeated increases in prices of petrol, diesel, electricity and gas had made life difficult for traders, salaried class and farmers.

They said that rulers were increasing their own salaries, privileges and allowances by placing additional financial burden on citizens through taxes and utility charges.

They also criticised loadshedding of electricity and gas and alleged that FBR, excise and taxation, Customs, KP Revenue Authority (KPRA), Halal Food Authority and district food department were imposing heavy fines on traders besides sealing their shops.

They said traders across the country would launch wheel-jam and shutter-down strike if government failed to provide relief to people.

Published in Dawn, May 15th, 2026