PESHAWAR, July 14: Traders and labourers of Rethi Bazaar on Wednesday staged a protest demonstration outside the Peshawar Press Club to demand release of a colleague of theirs.

The protesters were carrying placards and black flags inscribed with slogans condemning the local police and nazim of the union council, Tariq Aziz. The protesters were led by Haji Abdul Wahab and Malik Haji Imdad Hussain.

They were demanding early release of their colleague, Mohammad Yasin, and strict action against the nazim. Giving details of the incident, Haji Abdul Wahab told PPI that some days back, a man, Mohammad Bakhsh, had bought some sanitary goods from the bazaar.

He also hired a labourer, Mohammad Yasin, from the bazaar, he said. Haji Abdul Wahab alleged that the labourer was busy in fitting the sanitary equipment in the house of Mohammad Bakhsh when the local nazim, Tariq Aziz, who had some scores to settle with Bakhsh, arrived at the place and a scuffle took place between the two sides.

Mohammad Yasin, the labourer, was trying to end the scuffle, but police arrested him, alleged Haji Abdul Wahab. "Considering him as a companion of Mohammad Bakhsh, the nazim used his influence to keep him behind the bars for two days and now he has been sent to the central prison," he further alleged. He demanded of the provincial government and police high-ups to take steps for immediate release of the labourer. -PPI