ISLAMABAD – Traders in Karachi suffered around Rs 3 billion loss as all the markets remained closed on Tuesday as a result of the strike call given against extortion while the members of the two of their representative bodies clashed at the Polo Ground.
In response to the All Karachi Tajir Ittihad (AKTI)’s strike call, all businesses were shut in Clifton, Defence, Tariq Road, Bahadurabad, Saddar and MA Jinnah. “The closure of business was aimed to warn the government that the situation is getting out of control,” Atiq Mir, chairman of the AKTI, told Pakistan Today.
Talking about the financial loss, he said they were already facing losses because of the grave law and order situation. “Closure of business in the city for a single day means trading loss of Rs 2.5 to Rs 3 billion,” he said. He said the small traders, who recorded a strong protest against the ‘extortion mafia’, would decide about the future plan of action on Thursday.
Talking about the violent clash between the members of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) and AKTI at the Polo Ground, he said that the unfortunate incident was caused by a misunderstanding. But at the same time, he accused the KCCI of trying to sabotage the peaceful strike. The clash erupted after thousand of traders led by AKTI reached the Polo Ground to attend the media briefing organised by KCCI to remove the perception that the traders were divided.
But some of them started chanting slogans against each other which led to tension and scuffle between the two groups. The office-bearers from both the trade bodies were a part of the clash which resulted in injuries to several protesters. Meanwhile, the MQM and the ANP congratulated the traders for their peaceful strike against the rising incidents of extortion, kidnapping for ransom, murders and other criminal activities in Karachi.
On the other hand, a private TV channel reported that MQM senators Abdul Haseeb, Ahmed Ali and others, while talking to media persons outside the Parliament House in Islamabad, gave a two-day ultimatum to the government for taking action against the extortionists in Karachi. They also said that their party would announce the future course of action after the two-day deadline.
