Vegetable sellers protest against federal minister

TAKHTBHAI: The vegetable sellers staged a protest against Federal Minister Ali Muhammad Khan during his visit to Takhtbhai on Saturday.

Led by leaders of vegetable sellers, Sher Mama, Amir Bashar Khan and Yousaf Khan, Arif Khan and Tahir Khan, the protestors marched from Takkar Road to the designated venue where the federal minister was scheduled to address a public meeting. The protestors gathered at the main gate of the public meeting venue and demanded the organisers to arrange a meeting for them with the federal minister.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf office-bearers held talks with the protestors to end their protest but they were adamant to meet Ali Muhammad Khan. The protesting vegetable sellers said that the Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA) were launching a crackdown for removing their makeshift stalls established under the Takhtbhai flyover from today, which had made them worried about their livelihood. “What we will do if they (TMA) dismantles our stalls under the flyover in the prevailing joblessness and price-hike,” an aggrieved vegetable stall owner complained.

He said that it was like snatching morsel from their children which, he vowed, would never be allowed. Minister Ali Muhammad earlier promised through PTI office-bearers with protestors that he would meet them after the public meeting.

However, he later tried to whisk away in his car as soon as the gathering concluded. This act on the part of the federal minister infuriated the protesting vegetable sellers who blocked his way and chanted slogans against him and the PTI government. However, the police rushed to the spot and dispersed the protesters.