SWABI: The traders in the district have decided to observe shutter down strike against the provincial government for what they call imposing unjust fines on them.

The decision was taken at a meeting of Anjuman-i-Dokandaran (AD), held in Yar Hussain with its district general secretary Laiq Khan in the chair. The meeting was attended by office-bearers of trade unions from Swabi, Topi, Chota Lahor and Razaar tehsils.

The participants of the meeting alleged that provincial government was teasing traders through different tactics and making it difficult for them to earn livelihood with honour.

They decided to observe shutter down strike to register their protest against the government’s new policy under which they alleged that the traders were faced with numerous difficulties.

They said that markets across the district would remain closed. “We have constituted teams to visit different markets on day of strike,” said Laiq Khan. Any trader, who violated the strike call, would be dwelt with iron hand, he added.

“We will not stand with those traders, who fail to stand with us,” said Mohammad Ali, the former district president of AD.

The participants of the meeting said that traders were united despite efforts of some pro-government elements to create a rift among them.

Babu Sultan, district president of AD, said that the ruling party in the province failed to deliver on all fronts and did not fulfil its pledges made with the masses during the elections.

“To save its skin and divert people’s attention, the government has turned its guns towards the traders by imposing unjust fines on them,” he said.

Laiq Khan said that district magistrate, food department officials and police officers paid surprise visits to different markets as government authorised them to impose a fine of Rs45,000 to Rs50,000 on the traders.

“We are telling the government that those traders, who violate the official pricelist, should be fined but there should be no huge fines,” he said.

Meanwhile, the traders of tehsil Topi have rejected the rumuors that they will not follow the AD decision.

“I can tell you that traders of Topi will follow the strike call because they have made a unanimous decision in a meeting on Sunday afternoon,” said a leader of traders.

Mozaam Khan, vice-president Topi traders, told this correspondent that they made the decision unanimously.

“We have decided unanimously that Topi markets will also remain closed on Monday,” he said.

Sources said that none of the officials of district administration contacted the traders to pursue them to call off the strike.

An official said that there was no justification for the strike and best option for the traders was to follow the official pricelist. “The traders should avoid overcharging consumers,” he said. He added that those traders, who violated the rules, would face action.