Jinnah Avenue standoff: Amid frenzied scenes, Blue Area’s shopkeepers’ losses neglected

Tens of millions in losses claimed; traders lament authorities’ inefficiency.

ISLAMABAD:

As the capital was held hostage by an armed gunman bent on creating chaos in the middle of Jinnah Avenue on Thursday, few would have anticipated the tens of millions of rupees in economic losses shopkeepers and traders suffered as a result of their businesses being shut down in nearby Blue Area.

Enraged by the closures, Blue Area Traders Association President Sheikh Saleem said the economic impact of the near six-hour-long standoff on business was immense.

Saleem blamed the media for its excessive coverage of the incident and the subsequent unnecessary fear it created among the capital’s residents.

“Who would have thought about bringing their families to Blue Area while such sensationalist coverage was taking place? People were glued to their television sets at home,” he said.

Commercial activity in Blue Area, which usually picks up pace at around 2pm, suffered as peak sales are witnessed during the evening hours.

The millions in losses claimed by Blue Area’s shopkeepers --- whom the media has thus far paid scant attention to --- will surely take some time to absorb. Even if this is the case, however, the ease with which the attacker paralysed security forces on a major artery is likely to have long-term repercussions as shoppers would think twice before stepping out of their homes.

Saleem added he was saddened that the authorities did not handle the situation more sensibly and efficiently. “The incident has let us down internationally. We may now run the risk of losing our regular customers,” he said.

Shahid Butt, who owns a mobile phone shop in Jinnah Super Market, said nearly all shops in the market have televisions which broadcast most of the news channels. “The minute news tickers started running, many customers rushed out in panic,” he said.

In the decade since he has run the shop, Butt said he had never witnessed so much fear among ordinary visitors. “People will undoubtedly be reluctant to leave their homes now,” he said.

Centaurus Mall evacuated

As soon as the news broke, Centaurus Mall, which is located just a few kilometres from the scene of the incident, decided to evacuate its employees as a precaution.

Humaira Khalid, a resident who visited the mall with her family that evening, was taken by surprise when she was informed of the happenings. “We were unaware of the incident until we heard the mall management’s announcement, which directed shopkeepers to close up shop and customers to proceed towards the exit,” she said.

The mall’s security came to assist visitors, who were guided through the fire exit and into the parking lot, she added.

“Our people are not used to fire drills. They don’t know how to respond to a crisis scenario. The chaotic situation was compounded by the fact that people were confused about what was actually going on,” she explained.

Ayesha Kiyani, another shopper at the mall, said shopkeepers were worried about theft. “It was definitely an unusual mall experience for me,” she said.

A management official told The Express Tribune that the mall remained shut for approximately two-and-a-half hours.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 18^th, 2013.