GUJRANWALA, Aug 26: The auto market traders on Sunday threatened to go on a shutdown strike if tehsil kutchery road was not repaired soon and the rainwater not pumped out from their business place.

At a meeting held here on Sunday, presided over by auto market union president Muhammad Akbar, the traders vent their anger against the city district government for not initiating repairs of the dilapidated road which had developed craters and was flooded with sewage and rainwater, causing inconvenience to the shopkeepers as well as the customers visiting the market.

They lamented that despite payment of various taxes, the traders were being deprived of better facilities.

They said though an international stadium, district police lines and the Central Jail were situated on the dual road, besides some other government buildings, no one bothered to take notice of the situation. They vowed to launch a protest drive if their demands were not met.

Some of the traders, expressing their concern over deteriorating law and order situation, said they had to hire security guards as some of the businessmen were injured by robbers.