Traders rally against `surprise` outages

SAHIWAL, April 28: Hundreds of shopkeepers and traders under the banner of Markazi Anjuman Tajran on Thursday organised a rally and a sit-in to protest massive and unscheduled loadshedding. On the protest call given by Anjuman president Haji Latif, representatives of local small traders` bodies from different bazaars gathered at Jinnah Chowk. The protesters, led by Haji Latif, reached Pakpattan Chowk after passing through Sader Bazar, 15 Chowk and Jogi Chowk. They blocked Lahore-Multan road for two hours by staging a sit-in at Pakpattan Chowk. They chanted slogans against federal government, local Wapda officials and burnt an effigy of President Asif Zardari. They demanded reduction in loadshedding and a schedule for the outages. "We need a proper loadshedding schedule so that we can adjust our business routine according to it," a protesting trader said. Traders deplored that unannounced and prolonged loadshedding was taking a heavy toll on their businesses. "No customer visits shops in sweltering heat," a trader lamented. The protest rally was also addressed by heads of different traders` bodies. MoU:A memorandum of understanding has been signed between the Sahiwal Medical College and the Government Postgraduate College on a research exchange programme. Under the memorandum, Sahiwal Medical College will use Government Postgraduate Colleges infrastructure till the development of its own. Sahiwal Medical College Principal Dr Muhammad Zameer and Government Postgraduate College Principal Dr Anwar Ahmed signed the memorandum at latter`s office on Thursday. Under the memorandum, both colleges will also exchange teachers and students.