KARACHI:
The tense security situation brought industrial and economic activities to a complete standstill in Karachi on Thursday, causing a loss of billions of rupees to the national economy.
The usually bustling financial capital of the country wore a deserted look as public and private transport was virtually absent from roads and people preferred to stay indoors.
SITE Association of Industry Chairman Wahab Lakhani said the industrial zone was unusually deserted, resulting in complete halt to business activity. “This is for the first time in nine months of my chairmanship of the association that even my office remained closed,” he said.
The zone, which houses over 3,000 industrial units, has been facing more law and order problems than other industrial zones because of its proximity to the troubled areas.
Korangi Association of Trade and Industry Chairman Johar Ali Qandhari said the Korangi industrial area was completely closed as workers could not reach their factories due to absence of public transport. “No one can run an industry in absence of workers and closure of banks.”
Qandhari said the six industrial zones operating in Karachi had a daily production volume of Rs20 billion, on which the government earned Rs3 billion in revenues.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 15th, 2011.
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