KOHAT: An alliance of traders on Friday demanded immediate transfer of assistant commissioner over registration of FIR against two trade leaders.

The demand was made at a meeting of Tajir grand alliance called after cancellation of the interim bails of president Tajir action committee Abid Khan and additional general secretary Mushtarika markets union Asghar Ayub Paracha by additional sessions court No 4 judge Sumbal Naseer.

The trade leaders were arrested from the civil courts and shifted to the city police station. SHO city police station Fayyaz Khan said they would try to obtain physical remand of the traders from court on Saturday (today).

The trade leaders had obtained bail before arrest from court after FIR was registered against them last week for forcibly stopping the operation against encroachments and hooting at assistant commissioner Furqan Ashraf.

The meeting of the grand alliance of business community was held at the bar room chaired by president of the Mushtarika bazaar union Sher Khan Bangash. Kohat Bar Association president Javed Panji also attended the meeting and extended full support to the business community.

The participants through resolutions demanded inquiry against the assistant commissioner for registering FIR against the leaders, quashing of the case, and return of identity cards to the shopkeepers.

Earlier in the day, adviser to the chief minister, MPA Ziaullah Banagsh chairing a meeting of the businessmen said the issue arising out of the filing of FIR against trade leaders had been resolved as a reconciliation had been made between the AC and the traders. However, later the court rejectd their bail and they were arrested from the court premises.

The traders at the meeting with the adviser said the administration was trying to create law and order situation and that all responsibility of the consequences would fall on its shoulders.

Published in Dawn, October 5th, 2019