KARACHI, Oct 18: Quite a large number of people intending to move from one place to the other in public transport faced immense hardship on Thursday as most of buses, minibuses, coaches and even rickshaws and taxis remained off the road since morning.
A majority of the public transport operators chose not to bring the vehicles on roads in anticipation of road blockades and possible traffic jams resulting from the mammoth rally organised by the Pakistan People’s Party to welcome its chairperson, Benazir Bhutto, on her arrival in the city.
Although most people either joined in the procession or stayed at home as it appeared to be a virtual public holiday, small crowds of people looking for some transport were seen standing for hours at various bus stops and intersections elsewhere in the city. Drivers of rickshaws and taxis were not obliging those who were seeking to go beyond the PPP procession route. They were also avoiding a drop place located close to Sharea Faisal or Shahrah-i-Quaideen where law-enforcement agencies had laid a strict security cordon. Quite a few buses were seen plying on roads in different parts of the city and that too with a negligible number of passengers. Public transport meant for business and commercial centres of the metropolis was almost nonexistent.
All approaches to the Empress Market, otherwise the most congested area of the city also wore a deserted look and there was a small number of shops open in the entire area of Saddar. The shopkeepers could do a little business.
Mohammad Hashim, a transporter, pointed out that transport operators had chosen not to bring their vehicles on roads because they were expecting a little business in view of the decision by private sector trade and business concerns to keep their business closed.
“The fear factor is also a substantial reason as activists usually get provoked on such occasions and resort to violence,” he said.
Many people standing helplessly at bus stops were, however, of the view that most buses and coaches were hired by those who wanted to participate in the welcome procession.
The live telecast of the one-day cricket match between Pakistan and South Africa was yet another factor contributing to the less number of passengers seeking some transport and leading to the transport operators’ decision to keep their vehicles off the road.—APP
KARACHI, Oct 18: Quite a large number of people intending to move from one place to the other in public transport faced immense hardship on Thursday as most of buses, minibuses, coaches and even rickshaws and taxis remained off the road since morning.
