An Islamabad police official allegedly subjected a shopkeeper to violence and threats during a crackdown on plastic shopping bags, with a video of the incident going viral on social media and traders demanding action against those responsible.
The incident happened in the Loi Bher police station area during a district administration campaign against plastic shopping bags. According to the affected shopkeeper, the official slapped him after finding several shopping bags at his shop, threatened him with serious consequences and took him to the police station.
The shopkeeper claimed that some of the bags found at his shop were among those permitted by the government.
Despite the video circulating widely on social media, neither the district administration nor the police initially issued an explanation regarding the incident.
All Pakistan Anjuman-e-Tajiran and Traders Action Committee Islamabad president Ajmal Baloch, Traders Action Committee Islamabad secretary Khalid Chaudhry and other market representatives strongly condemned the alleged treatment and demanded that the Interior Minister take notice of the matter.
The traders said a crackdown in the name of enforcing the plastic-bag ban had resulted in the humiliation and arrests of traders over the past three days. They demanded the immediate release of detained traders and an end to what they described as harassment.
Baloch questioned why authorities were not taking action against factories manufacturing illegal shopping bags, arguing that arresting and fining shopkeepers could not resolve the issue.
Chaudhry said the use of alleged self-appointed magistrates against traders was contrary to a High Court ruling. He demanded that the administration act strictly in accordance with the law.
The traders also claimed that bags confiscated from shopkeepers were later returned to markets for sale, while smuggled bags seized by customs authorities were auctioned and subsequently re-entered the market.
They urged the Environmental Protection Agency and district administration to launch a formal campaign promoting cloth bags and provide traders with viable alternatives instead of relying solely on punitive measures.
The traders warned that failure to release detained traders and end their alleged humiliation would lead to a decision on protests and a shutter-down strike.
