News
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Strike against killings grinds Karachi to a halt
KARACHI: All business and social activities came to a grinding halt on Tuesday as a mourning day was observed in the provincial capital on the call of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) against what it called ‘the genocide of Muhajirs’. All markets, bazaars, shops, hotels and other business places were closed across the metropolis from dawn to dusk while public transport also remained off the roads. The people preferred to stay indoors because of fear of vandalism and terrorism. The markets and shops were also closed in several other cities of Sindh, including Hyderabad, Nawabshah, Mirpurkhas and Tando Allahyar in response to the mourning day call. The metropolis wore a deserted look amid panic and fear. Black flags were hoisted in almost every area of the city. Schools, colleges and universities were also closed while the attendance in private and public organisations also remained thin. The inhabitants of Gulistan-e-Jauhar staged a protest demonstration against the killings of Karachiites on ethnic ground. The protesters, wearing black armbands and carrying black flags, burnt tyres and chanted slogans against the lawlessness. Reports of aerial firing were also received from Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Malir, Landhi, Mosamiat, Saddar and other areas of the city. Angry mobs also pelted moving vehicles with stones in various areas of the city on major thoroughfares. The situation compelled many office-goers, who attempted to reach their work places, to return homes because of no vehicles on roads. The import cargo could not leave the port area while no export freight reached the port, as transporters were reluctant to bring their vehicles on the city roads because of panic and fear. Although the government, responding to the MQM announcement, had made arrangements to man the thoroughfares for protection of the people, the fear factor had prevailed. “We cannot take any risk and this is also last ‘Ashra’ of Ramazan and we prefer to spend most of our time in prayers,” said Rajab Ali, a clerk in a government office. Many of the factory owners, with deadline to be met for consignments, had asked their workers to stay back in the factory premises. Some private companies had arranged transportation for their employees. Since the public transport owners association had announced to keep their vehicles off the roads and the numbers of these means of transport had markedly shrunk since Monday evening, many of the people themselves did not make any attempt to come out of their homes on Tuesday morning. atif raza
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk