#ShutdownToRebuild: City to shut down on PTI’s call

Party chief Imran Khan expected to address one of the sit-in locations

KARACHI:

A party that rebuked previous shutdowns in Karachi, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is all set to close the port city today as part of its countrywide Azadi march’s Plan C.

The shutdown will kick off on Friday morning and will end by the evening, with PTI chief Imran Khan expected to address at one of the 10 or 11 sit-in locations. Khan is expected to land in Karachi by late afternoon.

The PTI local leaders have divided the areas among themselves. Khurram Sher Zaman, who will be overseeing the sit-in at Teen Talwar said he will start the protest early morning. “I will be coming out to participate in the sit-in right after Fajr,” he said.



The Hasan Square in-charge, Arsalan Ghumman, said they will not force any shopkeeper to shut down their businesses. “We are a peaceful party and we will make sure that our protests remain peaceful.” Apart from requesting security from the government, the party is relying on their own workers to carry out snap-checks of suspicious persons.

The party also held smaller rallies on Thursday evening. PTI leader Arif Alvi said the consequences will not be good if a Faisalabad-like situation develops here.

Meanwhile, Sindh chief minister Qaim Ali Shah has assured that full security will be provided to Imran Khan and the sit-ins today. He was addressing a press conference at CM House accompanied by information minister Sharjeel Memon. “We have made arrangements for more security for Imran Khan than provided to the chief minister,” said Shah.

Shah added that the Pakistan Peoples Party government was not against peaceful strikes and protests but asked the PTI workers to refrain from activities that would create a law and order situation in the city. He added that the PTI leadership had given a list of 23 dharna sites for approval but the government had only agreed to nine of them.



On the other hand, Memon reminded that it was normal to shut down some roads two days before the Chehlum procession, hinting that the routes of the procession may be closed for public on Friday.

However, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) said PTI has a right to protest. “Imran Khan is welcome to hold protests, sit-ins, and rallies in Karachi,” said MQM chief Altaf Hussain in a statement. “My only appeal is that they keep their demonstrations peaceful.”

Massive traffic gridlock

The traffic police fear a massive gridlock on the main thoroughfares today. Around 1,100 traffic police officials and wardens will be on duty to maintain the traffic situation from 7am. “We will definitely give alternative routes to avoid any inconvenience to the residents,” said traffic police DIG Dr Ameer Shaikh. “We have appealed to them [PTI] to at least spare Sharae Faisal.”

Karachi police chief AIG Ghulam Qadir Thebo said they will provide foolproof security to the PTI leaders and the protesters. The traders and shopkeepers are the only authority to decide whether or not the businesses will close, he said. “If anyone tries to forcefully shut down the businesses, the police will not leave them and will register cases against them.”

The traders have, however, decided to defy the shutdown call and keep their businesses open. Jameel Ahmed Paracha, the chairperson of Sindh Tajir Ittehad, told The Express Tribune that they have received threats from people claiming to be PTI activists. “The traders will not tolerate any hooliganism,” he said. “This culture of forced strikes will ultimately engulf the city of lights.”

For Karachi Transport Ittehad president Irshad Bukhari, the decision to bring vehicles on roads will largely depend on the security arrangements being made by the law enforcement agencies since midnight. “We want to ply the public transport on roads tomorrow but we do not want to see our vehicles being damaged or burnt.”

The associations of the private schools in the city have also showed inclination to keep the educational institutions open on Friday. “We have asked the school administrations to decide on their own, keeping in view the law and order situation in their respective areas,” said Syed Khalid Shah, the chairperson of the All Private Schools’ Management Association.

Likewise, academic activities at the University of Karachi, NED University of Engineering and Technology, Dow University of Health Sciences, Dawood University of Engineering and Technology, Institute of Business Administration, Institute of Business Management, Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology, will be held as per routine. Later in the evening, Sindh education minister also issued a statement that all public and private schools, colleges and universities will remain open today.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 12^th, 2014.