Traders Alliance Faisalabad and 125 traders organisations have unanimously announced to participate in shutter down on April 2, on the call of Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA). This was decided in a meeting of 125 organisations of traders, which was presided over by Haji Mohammad Nawaz Vohra, here on Thursday. Meanwhile, the District Nazim has imposed section 144 in the district for two days, which may be extended for another two days. The step has been taken in the light of the home department instructions to foil the MMA strike call.
Addressing the press conference here on Thursday, Sardar Zafar Hussain, District President MMA, former MNA and leader of PML (N), Mian Abdul Mannan, Mehboob uz Zaman Butt, Amir JI Faisalabad, Ubaid Ullah Gormani, JUI and Engineer Azeem Randhawa condemned the government for using negative tactics to frustrate the peaceful strike call which, they asserted, was the constitutional and lawful right of the political parties including MMA in order to express resentment and support public against oppressive policies of the government.
They claimed that the strike would be successful as people were already fed up with price hike including record hike in the prices of petroleum, gas, electricity and essential commodities. They further said that the police deliberately creating the law and order problem by stopping them from staging a peaceful rally, which is a democratic right. They announced that a protest rally would be taken out on April 02 and a public meeting will also be held peacefully.
Meanwhile, traders have divided into two groups over the strike issue. A strong group "Traders Alliance" of 125 organisations of shopkeepers belonging to various city areas, led by Haji Muhammad Nawaz Vohra, held a meeting and decided to observe a complete strike in the city and its adjoining areas. The meeting was of the view that the prices of petroleum products were being enhanced while the tariffs of electricity and gas had reached beyond the reach of the common man. In the light of this scenario, the traders would observe a complete strike on April 2.
On the other hand, President Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI), Mian Muhammad Adress declared that chamber members would not participate in the strike on April 2. In a press statement issued here on Thursday, he said that FCCI would not participate in the strike on April 2 and would continue functioning as per routine.
He said that the strike at this juncture would hamper the upward trend of national economy. Mian Adress said that strike was no solution to any issue but rather incurred heavy losses to the business. He said that the FCCI was a trading body and strikes were against all norms of business.