GUJRANWALA, Jan 13: All industrial units and business centres in Gujranwala will be closed down if immediate measures were not taken to stop incidence of dacoities and robberies on highways.

This was decided at a meeting of the Gujranwala Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Monday.

The participants expressed resentment over the increasing number of dacoities and robberies on highways, specially near Muridke.

Through a resolution adopted unanimously, the meeting said that Muridke police were responsible for the situation. It said that three highwaymen deprived industrialist Adnan Salahuddin of his car (No LRE 2400), mobile phone, wrist watch and Rs30,000 worth credit cards on Sunday.

Mr Salahuddin, the nephew of GCCI former president Sheikh Muhammad Nasir, was intercepted near Muridke when he was on way to Lahore with his associates.

Another gang of highwaymen took away car and cash from GCCI’s former vice-president Akbar Badshah near Muridke when he was on his way to Lahore.

The meeting said that businessmen, industrialists and traders have to travel between Gujranwala and Lahore but their lives and properties were not safe now.

A chamber delegation would soon meet the Punjab chief minister and other high-ups to register their protest in this regard.

POWER THIEVES: Politicians and industrialists were among the over 120 people caught red-handed while stealing power in the city on Monday.

This was claimed by the Gujranwala Electric Power Company (Gepco).

A spokesman said three teams of Gepco city circle raided the residences and factories of influence people in various parts of city and caught them red-handed while stealing electricity for domestic and commercial use.

The raiding team severed their connection, removed meters and other equipments besides issuing them detection bills.

The spokesman said that FIRs against some electricity thieves have been got registered by the raiding teams.