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| January 01, 2008 | Tuesday | Zilhaj 21, 1428 |
KARACHI: No end to shortages
KARACHI, Dec 31: As residents of Karachi attempted to resume their normal routine on Monday after several days of chaotic violence following Benazir Bhutto’s assassination last Thursday, rumours of Dr Farooq Sattar’s murder as well as an attack on the Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s headquarters, better known as Nine Zero, coupled with alleged intimidation from political party workers threw a spanner in the works.
Though the rumours of both Dr Sattar’s slaying, who is the MQM Coordination Committee’s Deputy Convener, as well as the attack on Nine Zero were completely baseless, the damage was done as business activities in the metropolis largely came to a halt, resulting in further shortages of fuel, medicines and items of daily use.
Early in the day it seemed as if it might be business as usual, as petrol pumps, grocery stores and banks cautiously opened up, though sources said that activists allegedly belonging to the Pakistan People’s Party forced shopkeepers in several areas to down shutters. There were also reports of unknown armed men resorting to aerial firing, particularly in the M.A. Jinnah Road and Burnes Road areas.
However, what really sent a wave of panic rippling across the city was when news started spreading a little after noon that Farooq Sattar had been gunned down while Nine Zero had been attacked. This prompted a mass closure of markets, offices and commercial areas as citizens headed for home fearing the worst after having witnessed the recent bedlam. Public transport vehicles were seen bursting at the seams with nervous commuters, while many people, including elderly women and children, decided to walk to their destinations due to the unavailability of space on public transport.
Petrol stations started shutting down in the afternoon because of the panic while shops, banks, post offices and other facilities were also shuttered soon after the news spread. Customers were seen outside bank branches waiting to cash cheques, deposit utility bills and conduct other business but had to return unsuccessful. Many ATMs had also run out of cash. The situation was all the more aggravated as Tuesday (Jan 1) is a bank holiday.
Dr Qaiser Sajjad of the Pakistan Medical Association told Dawn that the situation on Monday morning was a bit better with regard to hospitals and medical stores as staff had begun returning to hospitals while medical stores had also opened up. However, after news of the firing and the assassination rumours spread, everything started closing down again.
“Some medical stores reopened in the evening, although there was a great deal of uncertainty. Most of the evening clinics were affected. The shortage of medicines in the hospitals’ internal pharmacies persists. If the situation does not normalise by Tuesday, hospitals could face a serious shortage of oxygen and life-saving drugs,” he said.
On behalf of the PMA he demanded that all health related activities be spared from violence. “It is the government’s responsibility. Whenever hooligans attack hospitals, medical stores or essential facilities, the government should immediately move in to protect them,” he said.
Waqar Shaikh of the Wholesale Vegetable Market Welfare Association told Dawn that about 60 to 70 per cent of shops at the New Sabzi Mandi had opened on Monday, although goods were selling at double the price. “Goods did reach the market today, though the volume was a lot less than usual. The rumours did not affect us as we usually close up by Zohr prayers,” he said.
Saifur Rahman, Vice-President of the Karachi Goods Carriers’ Association, said that about 10 per cent of vehicles ventured out on the roads on Monday, but following the spread of the rumours, transporters decided to cancel all operations.
Shaukat Mukhtar of the Karachi Dairy Farmers’ association said that although fodder for milch animals had started reaching Karachi on Monday and milk was being delivered to retailers, because of the prevailing uncertainly and closure of markets, sales were being affected.
Abdul Maroof Siddiqui of the Poultry Association told Dawn that the situation was not too different from the previous days, as since hotels and restaurants were mostly closed the poultry business was severely affected.
Some areas of the metropolis inched towards normalcy as night fell with several shops opening up, while other areas remained completely shut down.
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