LAHORE, Sept 6: City traders have rejected the opposition’s strike call for Sept 9 and appealed to the government to provide them security for keeping their shops open. Addressing a press conference along with PML district nazim candidate Mian Amer Mahmood here on Tuesday, Lahore Anjuman Tajran President Haji Maqsud Butt and office-bearers of associations of different markets said that traders were not ready to observe a strike because they had no grievance against the government to justify it.

They said the opposition was trying to give a false impression of its popularity in the business community by giving a call for strike on Friday as the traders in all the cities and towns outside Lahore observed holiday on the day. It should give the strike call for any other day for testing its popularity.

They said the business community supported the government because it had solved most of its problems and created favourable conditions for the promotion of business. The government had put the country on the path of progress and the opposition wanted to put hurdles in its way.

Mian Amer Mahmood said the traders should not observe strike for the fear of opposition as the government would provide them complete protection.

Those present at the press conference included Liberty Market Chairman Sheikh Idrees, Walton Road Traders Association President Mian Muhammad Abdullah, Ferozepur Road Sanitaryware Traders Association President Syed Amir Azam Jaffery, Urdu Bazar Anjuman Tajran President Hafiz Shafiqur Rehamn, Hall Road Traders Association President Mian Muhammad Ashfaq, Ittefaq Market President Haji Muhammad Islam, Shahalmi Alamgir Market President Muhammad Idrees, Walled City Board President Haji Tahir Mahmood, Lytton Road Traders Association President Ashfaq Baloch and Nila Gumband Traders Association President Sheikh Qaiser.