All Pakistan Anjuman-e-Tajiran president Haji Maqsood Butt has said that all markets in the country will remain closed on February 18. Butt on Friday told representatives of traders that the public should cast its vote according to conscious and for honest people. He said the country is not in a position to bear the burden of political rivalry.
Therefore phase of transfer of power to new government should be peaceful. He also said that all the markets would remain closed so that every person either labourer or shopkeeper can cast his or her vote independently. Butt said that contacts are being made for strikes and seminars called for February 27 and March 7, 2008. The need for the strike and seminar is due to the anarchy and unsafe conditions in the country due to which the trader community is very much worried.