By Commerce Reporter
LAHORE, November 18 — A large delegation from Circular Road, Sarai Sultan, Shaheed Ganj and more than 15 markets knocked the door of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) and voiced strong concern over the government’s proposed Lehar Project, which aims to demolish Circular Road and its adjoining commercial areas.
The delegation met President LCCI Faheem Ur Rehman Saigol, Senior Vice President Tanveer Ahmed Sheikh, Vice President Khurram Lodhi, SAARC Chamber Vice President Mian Anjum Nisar, former LCCI President Muhammad Ali Mian, Executive Committee Member Rana Nisar and other office bearers. The delegation was led by Patron-in-Chief of the Muttahida Action Committee Malik Khalid Gujjar, accompanied by President Malik Shahid Aslam and the presidents of more than 15 markets.
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Participants included Haji Tahir Naveed, Shahid Azmat, Nabeel Mahmood Tariq, Haji Khalid Rasheed, Bao Irfan, Farhan Butt, Chaudhry Maqsood, Basit Shahid, Ziauddin Butt, Malik Yaseen, Chaudhry Fazal Ahmed, Muhammad Islam, Haji Altaf, Mian Waqar, Khizar Hayat, Muhammad Altaf, Sheikh Siddique, Syed Hassan Bukhari, Hafeez Ahmed Khan, Rana Mujahid Islam, Aamir Nasir Butt, Zahir Naveed and others.
LCCI President Faheem Ur Rehman Saigol stated that the decision to demolish Circular Road and the adjoining markets is unilateral and taken without consultation with the business community.
He announced that the Chamber will form a special committee comprising representatives from all affected markets to hold formal negotiations with the government. He emphasized that hundreds of thousands of families depend on these markets, at a time when unemployment is already rising sharply. He assured that LCCI will take this matter to every relevant forum and seek a practical solution.
SAARC Chamber Vice President Mian Anjum Nisar said that damaging people’s livelihoods in this manner is totally unacceptable. He said that unilateral actions are inappropriate and said, “We will not allow anyone to trample traders’ rights. The affected traders are here, and we stand with them.”
Senior Vice President Tanveer Ahmed Sheikh said the government should ease traders’ problems instead of adding to them.
Vice President Khurram Lodhi suggested preparing a concrete plan to present to the government as a path forward.
Malik Khalid Gujjar said the government must understand the seriousness of the matter. “Even while consultations were ongoing, the Bird Market was demolished. We have been doing business there for 50 years. Do not call us encroachers or a mafia — we are traders, and we will stand for our rights.”
