KARACHI, Dec 15: The strike called by Pakhtoon Action Committee (Loya Jirga) disturbed industrial activity in the city on Friday, especially in F.B. Area and North Karachi. The majority of industries remained shut as workers could not reach their units due to absence of public transport and violent disturbances in Sohrab Goth area.
Office bearers of the two associations claimed that more than 70 per cent industries in F.B. Area did not function. In North Karachi industrial units were also completely shut.
Besides, in Site area production remained at 25-30 per cent. Korangi industrial area also suffered production losses of more than 50 per cent owing to absence of workers. Industrialists said that they could not hold up workers on overtime for Friday in anticipation of postponement of the strike but Pakhtoons’ party announced to observe the strike on Friday.
Chairman F.B. Area Association of Trade and Industry Masroor Ahmed Alvi said that more than 70 per cent units remained shut, while the remaining 30 per cent could not operate at full capacity owing to shortage of labour.
He said apart from absence of public transport the workers and staffers, who had their own bikes and vehicles, could not enter the area because of violence at Sohrab Goth.
Alvi said there was virtually no movement of export containers to the port coupled with non-delivery of raw material from the port to the industrial area. Besides, there was also complete suspension of movement of vehicles carrying local supplies to the market.
It is hard to give exact figure of revenue loss suffered per day by 300 industries in the area but exporters had definitely suffered for not meeting their shipments schedule, he added.
Chairman North Karachi Association of Trade and Industry (NKATI), Faraz Mirza said that because of disturbances on Sohrab Goth road and non -availability of public transport – majority of the industries remained closed. Even many industrialists had been forced to close their units, while workers were not allowed to enter the area.
“The association is sending a letter to the Sindh transport minister on Saturday urging him to ensure plying of public transport and container movement during strikes to avoid any delay in export shipments,” Faraz said.
Chairman Site Association of Industry (SAI) Ameen Bandukda said that because of disturbances (tyre burning and stone pelting on vehicles) at main entry point to Site area like Banaras, Barha Board, and Nazimabad etc coupled with absence of public transport — the area recorded only 25-30 per cent production.
He said that he had come to know that some workers pelted stones on a factory partially damaging it.
He said that strike was not a solution to any problem as it plays havoc with the city’s economic activity, sending bad signals to the foreign buyers, and hurting export shipments.
Chairman Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (Kati) Masood Naqi said that production in the area remained below 50 per cent as workers and labour, which was dependent on public transport, remained absent. Only those workers turned up who lived nearby the industrial units.
He said that disappearance of containers and trawlers also led to suspension of export shipments to the ports.
Chairman Port Qasim Association of Trade and Industry (PQATI), Naeem Ilyas Khanani said that there was only 40 per cent attendance of workers in Landhi and Port Qasim area as only those workers leaving their homes early had reached their factories. The rest could not manage due to violence in various areas and a road blockade at Quaidabad.
Angry mob damaged a bank by pelting stones and also a factory in Landhi situated between Qazzafi Town and Zafar Town.
