KOHAT: Traders in the cantonment area here staged a protest rally on Sunday to protest the sealing of their outlets over non-payment of what they said 400 per cent increase in rents.

On the occasion, president of cantonment traders’ body, Mansoor Bangash said that they could no longer afford exorbitant rise in rent as they were already hard done by the prevailing economic distress, inflated electricity bills and taxes.

He said that the cantonment board was ruining their businesses and also causing mental agony to them. He accused the board officials of harassing the shopkeepers.

He lamented that the cantonment board was sealing their shops every now and then though they had been paying Rs40,000 to Rs60,000 rent per shop.

Shiraz Paracha, another traders’ leader, said steeply hiking rent was akin to their economic murder. He said several meetings had been held with the cantonment board authorities to slash the rent, but to no effect.

He said that in the main bazaar of Kohat the traders paid ‘small’ rents ranging between Rs25,000 and Rs40,000.

The protesters asked the Kohat division commissioner, the deputy commissioner, and the security officials to intervene into the matter.

SURPRISE VISIT: Kohat division commissioner Motasim Billah during his surprise visit to Orakzai district on Saturday ordered disciplinary action against a doctor and three technical staff of a basic health unit in Mishti Mela area for skipping duty.

During his visit to the Type-C Hospital, Kalaya, he expressed deep concern over the poor lighting arrangements at the X-Ray unit and other important places of the health facility.

He gave a two-day deadline to the administration to fix the situation.

Similarly, the commissioner also visited a vocational college, where necessary equipment has been provided to enable the students to get quality education.

Mr Billah directed the college’s principal to make immediate contacts with the heads of government and private schools to enroll maximum number of students in the institution for getting technical skills.

Published in Dawn, September 2nd, 2024