ICCI for immediate release of arrested traders to avoid protests and strikes

  • October 05, 2009
A delegation comprising traders of different markets of Islamabad in an emergent meeting at Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry strongly protested that despite clear assurance of Mr. Rehman Malik, Federal Minister for Interior to business leaders for release of arrested trade leaders, they were not released as yet and this situation was creating grave concerns in business community. Three trade leaders Mr. Ajmal Baloch, Malik Rab Nawaz and Malik Hamid were arrested on Saturday Sep: 26, 2009.
 
The delegation members reiterated that if arrested trade leaders were not set free by Tuesday, the whole Islamabad will witness complete strike & shutter down and all responsibility of any law & order situation will fall on the police & local administration who were not complying with the instructions of Federal Minister for Interior.

Addressing the delegation members, Zahid Maqbool, President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry said that businessmen were the backbone of local economy and it was incumbent upon the government to fully protect their business interests. He said how business community could focus on promoting business activities in an environment where they had no guarantee of their future.

He said the basic cause of such disputes was the non-promulgation of a balanced Rent Control Act in Islamabad and stressed upon the government to immediately promulgate a fair Rent Control Act, in consultation with all stakeholders to equally protect the rights of tenants and owners so that Islamabad could get rid of rent disputes.

He said Islamabad had already witnessed great unrest and complete shutter down in recent past due to such incidents which had badly affected the local economy and government should not further delay enactment of this act to ensure durable peace in the federal capital.

He called upon the Federal Minister for Interior Mr. Rehman Malik to personally intervene in the matter and direct local administration to immediately release the arrested traders so that instead of fighting for their rights, business community could concentrate all their attention on promotion of trade and economic activities in a peaceful atmosphere, which was the dire need of the country.