LAHORE: On the call of traders’ associations, the business community, especially the shopkeepers observed on Saturday a complete shutter-down strike in Lahore and other cities and towns across Punjab against the inflated bills, repeated hikes in the prices of petrol, diesel and other commodities.

Besides keeping their business premises shut, the shopkeepers and other members of public staged protest demonstrations across the province, especially in the major markets of Lahore and other divisional and district headquarters, including Faisalabad, Sargodha, Rawalpindi, Sialkot, Sahiwal, Multan, Gujranwala, Bahawalpur, D G Khan, Rahim Yar Khan, Khanewal, Okara, Toba Tek Singh, Mianwali, Bhakkar, Vehari, Bahawalnagar, Jhelum, Gujrat and Chiniot.

The provincial capital witnessed an complete shutter-down as all traders’ organisations and some political parties and groups joined hands to make the strike successful in a bid to show unity against unjustified surge in the electricity bills and the petroleum products.

In several markets of Lahore not even a single shop opened, against the government’s decisions of increasing power tariff and POL prices.

Protest demos held in different cities, towns

The major city markets which remained closed whole day included Shah Alam Market, Azam Cloth Market, Cosmetics Market, Anarkali, Abid Market, Ferozepur Road’s Ichhra Bazaar, Marble Market, Panorama, Beedan Road, besides markets in Johar town, Gulberg, Mughalpura, Shadman, Garden Town, Thokar Niaz Baig, Jail Road, Multan Road, Chuburji and Lunda bazar.

“I have never seen such a well-organised protest that involved closure of all major markets, besides the protest demonstrations. I also never saw Shah Alam Market, which has a number of adjoining sub-markets, closed completely,” said Rafaqat, a shopkeeper of Shah Alam market’s cosmetic bazaar, adding that Azam Cloth Market and other major markets also remained closed. He demanded the government to better withdraw increase in the power bills and POL prices, failing which it would have to face more protests and strikes in coming weeks. “The payment of such huge [electricity] bills are beyond the capacity of the traders, as well as the common people,” he said.

Talking to Dawn, All Pakistan Anjuman Tajiran Secretary General Naeem Mir says since none of the traders and other organisations opposed the decision to go for shutter-down strike, the Saturday’s protest appeared to be unprecedented. “The power bills, which are absolutely unjustified, have literally gone out of the financial capacity of even the middle class. I can say that these bills can only be paid by the rich, including industrialists, importers, exporters etc,” he said. “My own domestic power bill was Rs100,000. And it is surprising to see such a huge bill despite doing our best to save electricity,” he adds.

Mir says as the first phase of protest through shutter-down strike ended on Saturday, consultation are on for launching the next phase that will begin soon.

The traders’ leader says it has been decided to continue protests with increased intensity following continuous increase in the daily-use commodities’ prices and surge in POL and power rates. “There is only one option left with the government to avoid the wrath of traders and the public – withdrawing increases in power tariff and POL prices,” he warned.

Similarly, people in other cities and towns of Punjab also staged protest demonstrations, stating they would never accept the massively increased power tariff. “Our entire income is not over Rs40,000 per month. But we have received a Rs24,000 electricity bill. Now you tell how we will spend the whole month with the remaining Rs16,000 if we pay such a huge bill,” deplored a woman. “The government must ensure issuance of bills according to financial capacity of consumer and use of electricity,” she demanded.

JI: Jamaat-i-Islami Emir Sirajul Haq has lauded the business community for staging a successful shutter-down strike on the party’s appeal against the inflated electricity bills on Saturday.

The JI Emir Sirajul Haq visited different markets of Lahore and met with the leaders of traders’ community to thank them for backing the strike call by the JI.

He later addressed a protest rally against inflation on The Mall, where he warned the caretaker government to take back the decision of increasing the power tariff or get ready to face the public anger.

Mr Haq said through the peaceful strike, the people have given a clear message to the rulers that the Pakistani nation wanted its rights without any violence.

He said the caretakers lacked the mandate to make key decisions, as it is a prerogative of the public representatives. He said the inflation is a result of the policies of the previous government run by the PDM and the PPP, adding that the coalition setup was indeed continuation of the PTI’s ill-conceived economic policies.Haq criticised the caretaker prime minister for issuing statements regarding inflation, saying it was tantamount to rubbing slat in the wounds of the masses.

Published in Dawn, September 3rd, 2023