MANSEHRA: Traders in Baffa and Oghi areas here on Thursday warned that they won’t pay power bills next month if the government didn’t withdraw new surcharge from them.

The Baffa traders along with local body members took to the streets and blocked the Markazi Chowk for many hours disrupting traffic.

Holding banners and placards, they shouted slogans against the federal government.

President of the trader body Ahmad Nawaz Khan said commercial power consumers were badly hit by the growing cost of doing business, so they won’t be able to pay new surcharge in power bills.

President of the Oghi traders body Sarbuland Khan warned the business community would stop paying power bills if new surcharge continued next month.

Block road for hours, say won’t pay power bills

He flayed the government for what he said overtaxing traders instead of providing them with relief from high inflation.

FINED: The food department on Thursday fined dozens of shopkeepers, hoteliers and bakers for selling substandard and unhygienic goods, including food.

A team led by assistant food controller Uzma Shah paid surprise visits to Lari Adda area, fruit and vegetable market and Shinkiari Road and fined dozens of shopkeepers, hoteliers and bakers for selling substandard and unhygienic goods, including food.

Ms Shah said the action was taken on the people’s complaints.

She said the sellers of expired foods were fined and warned against doing so to prevent legal action.

“Our crackdown on substandard and unhygienic goods will continue,” she said.

The assistant food controller said sellers of adulterated milk and yogurt made with chemicals were heavily fined.

Meanwhile, Dilbar Khan, who was elected chairman of the Darband tehsil council as an independent candidate, has joined the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf after his meeting with the chief minister.

“I have joined the PTI to serve the people and welcome the chief minister’s announcement for development schemes. He will visit our area soon to make more such announcements,” Mr Khan told reporters in Darband here on Thursday.

Former MNA Nawabzada Salahuddin Saeed, who was also present, said chairmen of the

Oghi and Darband tehsil councils would meet the chief minister again next week where more development projects would be announced.

He said the CM would visit Oghi next month and inaugurate development schemes.

Published in Dawn, August 5th, 2022