Traders warn of protest

Criticising the Sindh and federal governments alike, All Karachi Tajir Ittehad Chairperson Atiq Mir warned on Tuesday of launching a protest movement if the relevant authorities fail to address the traders' issues and complete development projects in Karachi.

Meeting the representatives of various traders' associations, he said, "Karachi, called the country's economic hub, has been orphaned".

"Problems such as delays in development projects, broken roads, obsolete sewerage system, chaotic traffic, lack of parking space, [worsening] law and order situations, harassment by security agencies and increasing encroachments have made the lives of Karachi's traders and citizens miserable," he commented.

Mir attributed the city's conditions to the government failing to consult all stakeholders when making decisions, the result of which, he said, was "disastrous." He opined that the government could make better decisions if it took stakeholders' input.

He further remarked that Karachi's issues were linked to the problems of the city's traders and could not be resolved if the latter remained unattended.

Mir also lamented that the government had done little to facilitate small traders, from whom, he said, no concessions were announced.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 2^nd, 2020.