RAWALPINDI, Oct 15: Strike remained partial in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad as normal business activities continued in most of the shopping centres on Monday.

The call to observe country-wide general strike was given by leaders of religious parties against the government’s decision to support the US in its war against terrorism and to protest against the visit of US Secretary of State Colin Powell to Pakistan.

Almost all the shops on main Murree Road and Peshawar Road and in Raja Bazaar, Trunk Bazaar, Commercial Centre and some adjoining areas of Islamabad remained open with normal business activities. All kinds of transport continued to ply and attendance in government and private offices was also as usual.

However, about 60 per cent of the businesses remained closed in Ganjmandi, Narankari Bazaar, Sarafa Bazaar, Cloth Market, Kassai Gali, Crockery Market, Bohr Bazaar and some interior parts of the city where the hold of religious parties is much more stronger.

Similarly, the response of the traders of Saddar, City- Saddar Road, Circular Road, Tipu Market, DAV Road and Tyre Market was partial.

The president of Markazi Anjuman-i-Tajran, Sheikh Siddique, said the strike had fizzled out and by keeping the businesses open the traders had ratified the government’s policy in the present crisis. According to his estimates, 75 per cent of the shops remained open in Rawalpindi. He said a splinter group of the traders’ union had announced to support the call. He said some shopkeepers were pressurized to close their shops in some areas. Even fake pamphlets were distributed among the shopkeepers on behalf of the Anjuman-i-Tajiran, asking them to close their businesses.

Several shopkeepers, when contacted, confirmed that activists of some religious parties had threatened to attack their shops for not observing the strike. They said the partial strike was due to these threats, otherwise the traders had rejected the call of the religious parties.

A private bus company also halted its service following attacks on its two busses by the activists of the religious parties on Murree Road.

District Nazim Raja Tariq Kiani told Dawn that he had visited all important trade centres in the city and found normal business activities there. He termed the strike call a complete failure.

On the other hand, Hanif Abbasi, the leader of the splinter group of Anjuman-i-Tajran, termed the strike a great success and an unprecedented one.

Two poorly-attended protest demonstrations were also held at Dhoke Hassu and Chuhr Harpal in connection with the strike call.

According to analysts, the government has been keeping a strict vigil over all the protests and is confident that things are under control.