PESHAWAR, June 1: Local traders on Friday blocked the Sher Shah Suri Road for about two hours over firing by the personnel of the Cantonment Board Peshawar (CBP), injuring a worker at a nanbai shop.

An official of local police said that personnel of the CBP were removing the encroachments when they exchanged hot words with the local traders after which they opened fire.

As result of the fire a worker at a nanbai shop sustained bullet injuries. He was identified as Said Mehmood of Lohari Garhi. He was rushed to the Lady Reading Hospital.

Reacting to the firing incident, the business community pulled their shutters down and blocked the main road for two hours. They burnt tyres on the road and shouted slogans against the CBP and the government.

However, an official of the CBP pleading anonymity said the shopkeepers had pelted stones on the anti-encroachment squad and interfered in their work.

The administrator of the CBP could not be approached on telephone.

Meanwhile, the leaders of business community, Haji Shaukatullah Hamdard and Sharafat Ali Mubarak, expressed grave concern over the firing incident and described it an unfortunate act.

They said that the CBP officials had no right to open fire on the people. “We are ready to cooperate with the CBP but it does not mean to take such extreme action without taking the traders’ unions into confidence,” said Mr Sharafat.

The police registered a case but no one has so far been arrested.

The road was later opened on the assurance of local police for taking action against the accused.