Striking home: The city takes the day off

Business was slower than usual as public transport also went missing.

KARACHI: A partial strike was witnessed in Karachi on Sunday as Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan called for a shutter-down strike following the government's use of force against the protestors in Islamabad.

Although no major untoward incidents occurred during the day, fear and uncertainty gripped the city.

While business activity usually remains slow on Sundays, petrol pumps and CNG stations in various parts of the city were also closed because of the strike. Due to this, few public transport vehicles took to the streets.

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement also announced a day of mourning against the Islamabad incident, while Majlis-e-Wahdat-e-Muslimeen, Sunni Ittehad Council, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid and Pakistan Sunni Tehreek also supported the PTI strike call. Several protests were also staged in various parts of the city.

None of your business

"Basically, 90 per cent of the city's businesses are already closed on Sundays, but the strike also affected the remaining 10 per cent of activities in Karachi over the weekend," All Karachi Tajir Ittehad chairman Atiq Mir told The Express Tribune. "We never support any strike and we will definitely ask our traders and shopkeepers to keep their businesses open today (Monday)."

No public transport

There was also a striking lack of public transport on the city's roads. "The strike on Sunday affected business," confirmed Karachi Transport Ittehad secretary-general Syed Mehmood Afridi. "We will decide whether we want to stop our vehicles entirely or not after examining the situation further."

Law and order situation

Law enforcement personnel charged protesters in Baldia Town with batons when they were trying to take the law into their hands during demonstrations at Baldia No. 5, within the limits of the Madina Colony police. However, the situation soon calmed down.

Similarly in Lyari, unidentified persons tried to disturb the law and order situation and set a motorcycle and a rickshaw on fire, while also resorting to indiscriminate firing. SSP Sheraz Nazeer said that members of the Uzair Baloch group were trying to ensure that the strike call becomes a success by disturbing the law and order situation.

Awan rocket attack

However, just a few minutes later, peace was disrupted once again as gangsters fired an awan rocket in the Aath Chowk area. The attack resulted in injuries to four people, including a woman.

Increased security

Security arrangements, including patrolling and snap checks, in the city were increased due to the volatile situation. However, law enforcers were instructed to not take action against protesters unless absolutely necessary.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 1^st, 2014.