MINGORA: Traders in Mingora city and its adjoining areas observed complete strike on Wednesday to protest against the prolonged power and gas loadshedding in different parts of Swat district.

All major bazaars in Mingora and other tehsils of Swat, including Khwazakhela, Barikot and Matta, remained closed to demand immediate solution to the loadshedding problem.The strike call was given by a jirga of traders in its meeting on Sunday.

Though all big shopping centres and markets of Mingora city remained closed, some hotels and medicine shops were open to facilitate visitors and patients.

Swat Traders Federation monitored the shutter-down strike in the city and announcements were made on loudspeakers asking traders to support the federation in its strike.

Residents of Mingora said that they were determined to raise their voice for solution of their problems.

SEMINAR: Department of Media and Communication Studies, University of Swat, on Wednesday organised a seminar to highlight the role of mediapersons in development of society here at the main Odigramcampus of the university.

Prof Altafullah Khan, chairman Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Peshawar, was the guest speaker on the occasion.

He said that journalists were supposed to set guidelines for a society by educating people on issues being faced by them and suggesting their solutions.

He said that mediapersons should follow the journalistic code of ethics and play their role to guide the people towards betterment.

Staff and students of the media studies department attended the seminar. UoS media studies department`s chairman Khalid Khan thanked the participants and said that such activities would also be organised in future.