SUKKUR: Senator Islamuddin Shaikh along with SSP Pir Muhammad Shah held an emergency press conference at Sukkur House late on Monday evening to announce that traders had agreed to call off their strike.

He told the media men that grievances of both traders and police relating to violent incidents on Sunday were heard and it was decided that a committee comprising traders’ representatives Haji Haroon Memon, Haji Sabir, Badar Rafique Qureshi and Haji Umer would hold a though inquiry into the affair.

The traders’ side also agreed to hand over a shopkeeper, who beat up constable Ladha Khan, to the police, Mr Shaikh said.

The SSP said that no action would be taken against traders until the committee would complete and submit its report to Senator Shaikh. He said the FIR registered against over 25 traders at the B-Section police station would also remain suspended by that time.

He said he himself along with other police personnel would also investigate the matter of alleged excesses by policemen against certain traders and shopkeepers at the Sukkur Cloth Market.

Regarding traders’ demand for the removal of Jehangir Mahar and Asif Mughal — the SHOs of the A-Section and B-Section police stations, respectively —, the SSP said if the traders’ allegation of misleading the ASP City Abdul Raheem Sheerazi to get a go-ahead for a police action on Sunday proved correct, appropriate action would be taken against them under the police laws. Earlier, the senator along with the SSP held meetings with traders’ representatives and the police officials involved in the affair.

Members of the newly formed committee of traders were also present at the press conference.