Workers of KFC reopened the fast food chain in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Mardan district on Thursday after the mayor locked it following the local council passed a ‘verbal resolution’ declaring that it should be closed for its alleged support to Israel in the war against Gaza.

Earlier, Mardan Mayor Himayat Ullah, along with several public representatives, locked the only franchise of KFC in the district.

“All products of Israel are boycotted. We have fulfilled our duty and closed KFC,” he said while addressing the supporters outside the food chain at the Nowshera Road in the district.

Earlier in the day, the local council passed a “verbal resolution” declaring that the KFC franchise should be closed in the district.

Mayor Himayat, who belongs to the Awami National Party, moved the resolution in the 127-member local council. As many as 70 public representatives were present in the august house on Thursday.

Protesters outside the outlet chanted that those who support Israel are traitors and boycott Israel.

The mayor did not present any resolution paper before the council, an Aaj News correspondent who covered the event said. Himayat verbally presented it and the house agreed to it, the reporter added.

The development comes four days after the Jamaat-e-Islami supporters protested outside the food outlet against its alleged support for Israel, saying that the land where it was constructed belonged to Muslims and its workers were also Muslims.

The religio-political party had given the district administration a two-day ultimatum to close it or their supporters would vandalise the building. The JI had also asked the staff members to find some other jobs.

KFC Mardan has a staff of 60, including drivers, chefs, security guards, delivery boys, and other members, mayor’s secretary Ishtiaq Ahmed told Aaj News.

He went on to add that the franchise in the KP district was one of the most popular in the region after the two in Islamabad and Peshawar and it has customers from Nowshera, Malakand, Charsadda, and Swabi.

In the recent past, many American companies and food chains have been criticised for their government’s support for Israel. KFC, McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, Burger King, Coca-Cola, and Pepsi are some of them.

Several Muslim nations saw the “boycott McDonald’s” movement after its Israeli franchise allegedly provided food to the Israeli soldiers at a time when Gazans were without food and electricity.