PESHAWAR, July 18: Thousands of shopkeepers at Karkhano markets took to the streets on Monday against the losses they are suffering due to growing sabotage activities on the Peshawar-Jalalabad highway.

Traders closed their shops and blocked the Peshawar-Jalalabad highway, which is passing through the Karkhano markets, for two hours.

An oil tanker carrying fuel for Nato forces in Afghanistan was blown up by miscreants near Karkhano markets on Saturday night, setting ablaze a number of cabins and shops besides destroying the power distribution and telecommunication networks.

Speaking on the occasion, Haji Socha Gul Kokikhel, Haji Samin, Haji Sadiq and other leaders of the traders said that the Peshawar-Jalalabad highway had become a permanent risk for the traders of Karkhano market, as frequent attacks on the Nato supplies that transited through the same route were causing huge financial losses to them.

The protesters lamented that the government had not yet compensated the traders, and demanded of the government to compensate the traders, who lost their shops and businesses as a result of the Saturday attack.

They also asked for immediate restoration of electricity supply and telephone lines and rehabilitation of the road, which is in shabby condition and causing traffic jams.

The protesters dispersed peacefully after the local administration assured them to convey their concerns to the authorities concerned.