Traders take to streets against closure of shops.

MINGORA/SHANGLA -- Hundreds of shopkeepers of Cheena Market in Swat on Tuesday staged protest against closure of their shops during the ongoing lockdown.

They blocked the main roads from Saidu Sharif to Mingora and demanded of the government to immediately open their shops otherwise their protest would be extended to other parts of the district.

Later, the protesters gathered at Nishat Chowk, chanting slogans against the government, local MPA and district administration.

'The government should stop our financial assassination. All other shops are open in the country but only our shops have been shut down which means the coronavirus is only in Cheena Market and not anywhere else,' said Majeed, who has garments and cosmetics shop.

Protesters block roads in Swat and Shangla to seek opening of their outlets

Shahid, another shopkeeper, said that they had to pay rent of shops and utility bills but their shops were closed and they had already spent whatever they had. 'Now we even don't know how to arrange food and other necessities for our families,' he added.

The protesting shopkeepers said that the lockdown badly affected them and nobody bothered to ask about them. They said that it was strange that all shops except that of garment, shoes and cosmetics were open.

They said that government must allow them to open shops for four to five hours daily.

They said that main points of crowd were vegetables and fruit markets, meat shops and bakeries but all those were open.

'Our shops where we keep distance...