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Trader Union called off shutter down strike

By Zahiruddin

CHITRAL: The shutter down strike of Traders union Chitral was called off on Thursday which continued for seven days against the bread down of power supply to Chitral city. The shopkeeper instantly opened their shops and restaurants short after the announcement of the president of Tajjar union Chitral, Habib Hussain Mughal in a grand public meeting. The residents of Chitral city had experienced tremendous hardships due to the shutter down strike as commodities of daily consumption had run out. Addressing the meeting, the trader’s leader highly criticized both the provincial and federal government for showing indifference towards their problem. He said that during the strike of seven days, the trader’s community faced a colossal collective loss of about 40 crores of rupees. Mr. Mughal asked the provincial minister from Chitral Saleem Khan who did not bother to come to Chitral to console them. He asked the leadership of PPP to expel him from the provincial cabinet as he lost the confidence of his electorates. He however, announced that the carry on the sit-in strike till the complete restoration of electricity to the city.

Meanwhile MNA from Chitral Shahzada Mohiuddin has said that to solve the crisis of shortage of electricity in Chitral city, two diesel generators have been put to work while two more will be added within a week time. Addressing a press conference here on Thursday, he urged the people not to politicize the issue of shortage of electricity in Chitral which is being faced by the people across the country. He claimed that he tried his level best to remove the problem of power crisis in Chitral and enumerated in detail his efforts. Mr. Mohiuddin alleged that some elements are trying to use the break down of power supply to the city as a lever to impair his popularity and inflict loss on him politically. He said that the problem started when the district was disconnected from the national grid due to heavy snowfall in Lowari top. Mr. Mohyuddin said that work is in progress to reconnect the district with the national grid by erecting the electric poles in Lowari top which had fallen due to heavy snowfall. He said that on the demand of the people of Chitral, he has approached the high-ups of WAPDA to transfer some of its officials including line superintendent Ghulam Rashid.