All Pakistan Agriculture Produce Traders Federation (APAPTF) on Friday demanded of the government to rehabilitate the affected fruit and vegetable traders whose businesses were gutted in a recent blaze in New Sabzimandi. "The fruit and vegetable dealers and vendors pay millions of rupees annual taxes to the government but the former has failed to protect them," Central President APAPTF, Malik Sohni said at a news conference at Karachi Press Club.
He observed that the government continues to ignore development of agriculture markets in the country, saying that "the government should extend financial support to the affected traders immediately". "The recent blaze at New Sabzimandi has rendered thousands of small traders jobless as the fire consumed their carts, sacks, rickshaws and other objects," he added.
Sohni warned the government of strong protest by the affected traders if it did not pay immediate attention to their problems. Sohni was flanked by representatives of New Sabzimandi including Haji Abdul Razzaq Aga, Haji Behram Khan, Abdul Wasee, Waheed Gul Mohmand, Mehboob Alam and others.