The day after: ‘Unannounced strike’ causes shutdown in Sindh cities

Altaf Hussain calls for ‘peaceful’ protests against SC notice.

HYDERABAD/ KARACHI:

Even though there was no strike call, Karachi and some other urban centres of Sindh remained closed throughout Saturday.

The ‘unannounced shutdown’ came a day after the apex court issued a contempt notice to Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain, and was a continuation of the tension and violence that had broken out in the city from Friday night.

Apart from Karachi, an ‘unannounced’ strike was observed in Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas, Tando Allahyar, Benazirabad and Jamshoro districts. Strangely enough, no political party owned up to the ‘strike’.

Nevertheless, the closure coincided with rallies organised by supporters of the MQM to protest the apex court’s contempt of court notice.

Party workers gathered for a peaceful protest in several neighbourhoods of Hyderabad, Sukkur, Mirpurkhas, Benazirabad, Tando Allahyar, Kotri and Tando Adam.

Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah refused to comment on the apex court notice, saying, “Everybody can give fair comments on the court’s verdicts.”

Regarding the closure of businesses across the province, Shah said the MQM leadership would be able to give a better explanation on the public reaction. Shah was speaking to the media at Sukkur airport.

On Friday evening, Altaf said he would respond to the notice after conferring with legal advisers in a speech to party workers. Later that night, closure of businesses and reports of aerial firing and burning of tyres came in from various areas of Karachi.

The morning after the near-shutdown in Karachi that was attributed to “unidentified people”, Altaf appealed for “peaceful protests”.

The MQM leader, while saying he respected the sentiments of people against the Supreme Court’s decision, called on workers to not cause any harm, particularly to taxi and rickshaw drivers and traders.

‘Contempt notice against principles of justice’

The MQM Coordination Committee strongly backed the party chief and called the contempt notice as being against the principles of justice, according to a statement issued after a meeting in London and Karachi.

Party members said Altaf Hussain had, in his December 2 speech, called for action to be taken against the Supreme Court judge who had said that the delimitation of constituencies in Karachi should be done in such a manner that no one political party would have dominance. However, they said, no notice was served on the judge.

The committee said serving Altaf with a notice was tantamount to contempt of the mandate of the people of Karachi and their feelings.

(with Additional input from PPI)

Published in The Express Tribune, December 16^th, 2012.