Shutter-down strike observed by major Lahore markets

All the major markets of Lahore observed shutter down strike on Saturday against electricity loadshedding. According to the survey conducted by Daily Business Recorder, major markets of Lahore, including Akbari Mandi, Paper Market, Currency Market, Urdu Bazar, Mall Road, Panorama Centre, Icchra, Wahdat Road and Beadon Road were completely closed.
While Anarkali and Abid Market were partially open. On the other hand, markets of Gulberg, Liberty Market, Hall Road and Defence remained open. In the morning, activists of the rival traders groups clashed on the issue of closing shops. One group wanted that the shops should be kept closed while the other group said that the shops would remain opened. Activists of both the groups clashed each other with punches and kicks on the busiest Mall road of Lahore.
Trade unions staged protest in front of their markets against the loadshedding and chanted slogans against the federal government. President Qaumi Tajir Ittehad Irfan Iqbal Sheikh and President Anjuman-e-Tajiran (Khalid Pervez Group) Khalid Pervez in their statements termed the strike very successful and said that traders have shown their resentment against the massive loadshedding.
While Central general secretary of All Pakistan Anjuman-e-Tajiran Naeem Mir has alleged that their rival traders groups had tried to close the markets with force and traders have rejected the use of force by them by opening their shops. Earlier, traders were divided on the issue of strike. President Qaumi Tajir Ittehad Irfan Iqbal Sheikh had announced the strike while Anjuman-e-Tajiran (Khalid Pervez Group) has also announced to observe complete shutter-down strike in Lahore on Saturday against massive loadshedding, fuel adjustment surcharge, increase in the prices of petroleum products and CNG.
On the other hand, Central general secretary of All Pakistan Anjuman-e-Tajiran Naeem Mir and President Anjuman-e-Tajiran (Ashraf Bhatti group) have announced their dissociation from the strike call. They announced that their traders would open their shops as usual on Saturday. However, they announced that they will fully participate in the rally announced by Pakistan Muslim League (N) against power outages.