LAHORE, Sept 7: It has been a hide and seek between hoarders of fireworks and police for some days on the eve of Shab-i-Barat. The police claim to have rounded up dozens of hoarders and sealed their shops and godowns, but the shopkeepers are found to be determined and continued with their business.

Businesses at the country’s biggest market of fireworks in Mochi Gate have apparently been closed owing to the police pressure, but the shopkeepers would deal their customers at their godowns.

The godowns mainly deal in wholesale business as customers from other cities, like Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Sheikhupura, Sargodha and other parts of the Punjab have been visiting shopkeepers to purchase fireworks.

The city police claimed to have arrested 41 men for doing the firework business in various parts of the city. DIG Aamir Zulfikar also made an appeal to the people not to use the firecrackers to avoid loss of life and property. —Staff Reporter