RAWALPINDI: Cantonment Traders Association on Sunday announced a shutterdown strike in cantonment areas on Tuesday (tomorrow) against the closure of Bank Road by Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) and convert it into a pedestrian-only street.

Cantonment Traders Association President Sheikh Hafeez and General Secretary Zafar Qadri asked shopkeepers of Saddar to observe a complete shutterdown strike as the said closure had created traffic problems in Saddar.

He said as a result, customers avoided visiting the bazaar.

Zafar Qadri said: “As the business of shopkeepers in Saddar continues to shrink, we have decided to close all our shops in protest.”

The traders’ leader said some shopkeepers were relocating their outlets to other parts of the cantonment because of low customer footfall over the last two months.

He said that due to the unconducive business environment, major clothing brands have issued notices to the salesmen and workers to end their services by next month.

“We have chalked out a plan to take out a rally from Kashmir Road to the RCB office on The Mall, he said.

Shopkeepers have been asked to gather on Kashmir Road by 2pm on Tuesday.

The business leader said that earlier, they wanted to observe a shutterdown strike on Monday (today) and bring out a rally but all the shopkeepers decided to choose Tuesday for the strike.

He said the association had communicated the decision to the business community.

Published in Dawn, January 6th, 2025