Industrial activity slows on day of mourning

Leading zones report 40-60% drop in production.

KARACHI: Industrial activity remained partially disturbed in the city on Thursday, which was declared a day of mourning by the Awami National Party (ANP) after the killing of its worker on Wednesday night.

Leading industrial zones reported 40% to 60% drop in production because of low attendance of workers who could not reach factories in absence of public transport.

SITE Association of Trade and Industry Chairman Muhammad Irfan Moton said many industries started their routine work in the morning, but after a few hours armed men forced the owners to close the factories.

“Overall, low attendance of workers and forced closure of manufacturing units caused a 60% decline in industrial production in SITE,” Moton said.

Chairman of another leading industrial zone, the Korangi Association of Trade and Industry, Ehteshamuddin said industrial production in Korangi dropped by 40%.

The security situation in the industrial zone remained largely satisfactory, he said, adding though in some cases armed men tried to close factories, they were effectively challenged by the Rangers and private guards.

The reason for the low industrial activity was lack of public transport due to which workers could not be able to reach their workplaces, he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 30^th, 2012.