Markets, businesses stay shut

Markets remain closed in the wake of arrival of Dr Imran Farooq’s body from London and funeral prayers that followed.

KARACHI: Markets and businesses remained closed in Karachi on Saturday in the wake of arrival of MQM leader Dr Imran Farooq’s body from London and the funeral prayers that followed.

A day ago, many trade organisations had announced that they would keep their businesses closed in sympathy with the family of the deceased. Traders Action Committee (Tac) Chairman Siddiq Memon said shop-owners halted business on Saturday and Sunday to show solidarity with the MQM and also as a precautionary measure.

He said that all 580 markets of the city remained shut on Saturday and that they would not open for business on Sunday either – the day Farooq’s Soyem will be observed. “We want to run businesses continuously but cannot ignore the volatile security situation in the city,” Memon added.

Abdul Jabbar, a shop owner at Tariq Road, one of the busiest shopping areas of the city, said: “We decided to take a two-day off due to the fragile security situation.”

Former chairman Federal B Area Association of Trade and Industry (FBATI) Idrees Gigi said most factories in his industrial zone were closed on Saturday.

“Workers could not reach places of work because of non-availability of public transport.”

Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (Kati) Chairman Jauhar Ali Qandahari also said that almost all factories remained closed in the industrial area he represents.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 7^th, 2010.