RAWALPINDI - Hundreds of miscreants inflicted heavy damage to public property and vehicles in the city under the garb of so-called protest staged on the call of Markazi Anjuman-e-Tajran (MAT) against unannounced electricity loadshedding and inflation here on Saturday.
Despite tall claims of high-ups of City District Government Rawalpindi (CDGR) and City Police Officer (CPO) Azhar Hameed Khokher that security would be provided to those traders who did not want to close their shops, police did nothing in this regard; rather remained a silent spectator as the brigades of vagabonds equipped with bamboo sticks thronged into the markets compelling the shopkeepers to cease activities to make the strike a success.
A group of enraged protesters also attacked the residence of PML-N MPA Ziaullah Shah during the protest against loadshedding at Khayaban-e-Sir Syed. The protesters pelted the house of MPA with stones and broken windows and doors of the first floor of MPA’s residence. Police rushed to the scene and fired tear gas shells to disperse the angry mob.
When contacted, Zia Ullah Shah confirmed mob’s attack on his house. However, he said that he was in Lahore and his family members told him by phone about the incident. In order to protest against excessive power outages and the ignorant attitude of the government, traders on the call of MAT Rawalpindi observed complete shutter-down strike in the city where business centres and markets remained closed while traders agitated in various areas by torching tyres on the roads.
Taking advantage of the strike, a charged mob carrying sticks and iron rods attacked on a petrol pump at Chungi Number 4 and ransacked filling machines, glass-made office, besides smashing windowpanes of vehicles parked for getting fuel there.
Some protestors looted cash and other valuables from the petrol pump owned by a multinational company. Police, which reached there very late, fired tear shells from a good distance to disperse the protestors. Reportedly, the very angry protesters also damaged traffic signals, public property, public transport and private vehicles and hotels. The residents of nearby localities complained that tear shells fired by police landed at their courtyards, causing huge suffocation and panic among their family members.
Meanwhile, the passengers and office goers also suffered a lot as traffic flow remained thin on the roads while traders and shop owners staged protest rallies, burnt tyres and chanted slogans against the government.
The areas where the traders and shop owners observed shutter-down strike and demonstrated against loadshedding included Bank Road, Kashmir Road, Haider Road, Choota Bazaar, Saddar Bazaar, Mithu Khan Ahata, Gawalmandi, Ganjmandi, City Saddar Road, Iqbal Road, Cloth Market, Moti Bazaar, Jamia Masjid Road, Commercial Market, Kuri Road, Saddiqabad, Khanna Road, Haji Chowk, Chuher, Range Road, Bakramandi, Tahlimohri, Dheri Hassanabad, Chungi Number 22, Tench Bhatta, Lalkurti, Peoples Colony, Scheme Number 3, Westridge Bazaar and many other small and big markets.
On the other hand, many traders, who opposed strike call given by MAT Rawalpindi, continued business activities at Nankari Bazaar, Dalgaran Bazaar, Furniture Dealers Association, Banni Market, Mobile Phones Association and Goods Transport Association, Chauhdry Imran Market at Raja Bazaar, all the markets along with Benazir Bhutto Road, Sooter Mandi, Ratta Amral, Pirwadhai, Misrial Road, Dhoke Seydan, Girja Road, Adyala Road, Khuwaja Corporation, Mubarik Lane, Chungi Number 20 and Gulshanabad.
Similarly, the hotels, bakeries and other fast food outlets did not observe shutter-down strike.
Meanwhile, MTA Rawalpindi office-bearers Zafar Qadri, Malik Shahid Ghafoor Paracha and many others visited various markets and congratulated the traders for observing a successful strike. Addressing the traders, MAT office-bearers said that unscheduled loadshedding had destroyed their business. They said the country was facing worst energy crisis but the rulers were busy looting national kitty.
They asked the government to end loadshedding or else the traders and public would surround Parliament House.
Reportedly, a clash also occurred between violent protesters and police in the area of Waris Khan. Police was pelted with stones by the charged mob.