–Traders threaten to block Wana by-pass road, hold district-wide protests if due action is not taken
WANA: Traders and business community leaders in South Waziristan on Friday called a shutter-down strike over the deteriorating law and order situation in the wake of the theft of 23 Pine nut (Chilghoza) sacks worth over Rs12 million in broad daylight.
The protesters voiced concerns over the increasing incidents of robberies, abduction for ransom and killings.
They demanded the government to ensure the recovery of the stolen pine nuts and provide protection to traders and businessmen in the district otherwise they threatened they would hold district-wide demonstrations and block the Wana bypass road.
Wana City Police SHO Uman Wazir assured protesters that he would do “everything in his abilities” to recover the stolen items till Saturday.
The protesters, on this guarantee, agreed to call off the protest till Saturday and said that they would close down shops and markets if due action was not taken in the given time.
Twenty three sacks of pine nuts were stolen by unidentified persons in Wana on Thursday as armed suspects broke into a warehouse and held workers and security hostage at gunpoint.
The pine nuts were estimated to be worth over Rs12.5 million, according to traders.
The warehouse owner told police that around 10 unidentified men overpowered two guards at gunpoint and took away 23 sacks of Chilgoza with them in a vehicle.
According to eyewitnesses, robbers carried the sacks of chilgoza on a double cabin car. They also took away mobiles and cash.
A First Information Report [FIR] has been filed against unknown persons and the police have started investigation.
Incidents such as this are indicative of the deteriorating security situation in the district.
In a separate incident on September 11 unidentified persons in Wana kidnapped a senior doctor — Dr Noor Hanan.
