TIMERGARA, July 29: The Lower Dir district administration on Sunday took notice of the public complaints and arrested more than 50 shopkeepers at Timergara for overcharging, profiteering and hoarding. Executive district magistrate Noor Wali Khan Wazir along with subordinate staff visited different bazaars and markets in the district. He also checked rates of various daily use items, fruits, vegetables and meat. As many as 55 shopkeepers and vendors were arrested for violating directives of the district administration.

The magistrate asked traders to observe complete cleanliness in markets and avoid overcharging during the month of Ramazan.

He said there would be no compromise on principles and strict action would be taken against those shopkeepers or vendors who were found violating the government official price list.

Meanwhile, the sub-divisional magistrate Adenzai Tariq Ali Khan also visited bazaars and markets at Chakdara and Ouch and sent 18 shopkeepers to jail for overcharging and hoarding.

WITHDRAWAL OF FIR: The Pakistan People’s Party-S, Lower Dir chapter, on Sunday demanded of the Swat administration and police high ups to withdraw cases against elders of the Shamozai area for protesting against power outages and low voltage.

Flanked by elders of the area Mustafa Kamal, Darvesh Khan, Muslim Khan, Gauhar Khan and others, the PPP-S provincial general secretary Bakht Baidar, while speaking at a news conference at the Chakdara Press Club said police registered cases against elders of the Shamozai area on blocking road the other day when they were protesting against power outages and low voltage.

The PPP-S leader alleged that the ANP local leaders had pressurised the police to register the FIR against the protesting residents. He said people of Shamozai had welcomed central leader of the PPP-S Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao during his recent visit to the area.

“The ANP leaders asked police to register cases against the innocent citizens who raised voice for their demands,” Bakht Baidar said, terming the act of the ANP as revengeful.

The area elders said on one hand people had been facing power outages but on the other cases against them had been registered. They threatened to again come on roads if the FIR registered against them was not withdrawn.