Trade bodies part ways but strike to go ahead
Traders and shopkeepers have decided to go ahead with the strike call for today (Tuesday) against the wishes of the largest trade association of the city, Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI).
A split emerged between shopkeepers and businessmen in a meeting on Monday when the KCCI leadership announced it would postpone the strike call to April 12 and give the government a week to improve law and order in the city. Traders rejected the proposal and vowed to continue with the strike.
Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Awami National Party (ANP), the two key political parties in the city, have announced their support for Tuesday’s (today’s) strike.
KCCI had initially announced to go on indefinite strike from today against worsening law and order situation in Karachi.
The strike has been politically hijacked and is now being lead by All Karachi Tajir Ittehad, said KCCI President Saeed Shafiq.
“The government has taken our deadline seriously and we should give them time to improve the situation in the city,” said Shafiq. “If the government fails to deliver, we will announce a strike on April 12,” added Shafiq.
“We have given the government a 10-point agenda which includes a crackdown on the use of unregistered SIMs and provision of mobile locators to the police for improving security in the city,” he added.
In a late night development, the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) decided to hold a white flag protest gathering at Polo Ground against extortion, kidnapping, target killing and street crimes, according to a press statement. However, the indefinite strike call which includes a shutter down protest is still suspended.
“We know the problems businessmen of the city are facing but protesting is not the best option at the moment,” he said. A single day’s strike in Karachi causes losses worth Rs4 to 5 billion to the national exchequer and our economy cannot afford this, especially at this time of economic slowdown, he added.
Business activities in March lasted only for 14 days from the total 31 days due to law and order situation.
Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad and Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah have assured businessmen that the government is taking measures to improve law and order in city.
All Karachi Tajir Ittehad Chairman Atiq Mir, the trade association leading the protest, said that over 300 markets representatives have confirmed they would observe a complete strike on Tuesday.
“We are dejected with the KCCI’s decision to defer the strike. We gave the government two years to improve the security situation in the city but it failed,” he said, adding that “the KCCI leadership should not have deferred the strike against our will.”
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) coordination committee said that they fully support the All Karachi Traders Ittehad’s strike announced for today (Tuesday).
The party further said that Karachi is the backbone of the country’s economy but activities like extortion of money from traders and the businessmen of the city are affecting trade and economic activities in the city.
Old City Traders Alliance Chairman Jamil Paracha said that most traders had rejected the decision of the KCCI to defer the strike call. “What assurance can they give us that they will not defer the next date of the strike of April 12,” he said. “We have decided to make our own association now because the KCCI has shown no respect for small traders and their problems,” he added.
with additional reporting by irfan aligi
Published in The Express Tribune, April 5th, 2011.
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