January 13, 2008	Sunday	Muharram 03, 1429

KARACHI, Jan 12: Shopkeepers offer a mixed view over the government’s proposal of shops closure by 7.30pm as some say it will give a serious blow to their peak sales hours when buyers actually arrive in the markets after 5:00pm.

Others think there is no need for late sitting since sales have been highly depressed owing to thin arrival of buyers after the killing of Benazir Bhutto on December 27.

However, on Saturday all the markets continued their normal business as per their daily routine. Traders said that no officials of Police or Rangers had arrived in the markets for shop closure as no orders had been issued by the Sindh government.

For the past few years the government has been trying to convince shopkeepers to close their shops in peak business hours to overcome the power shortage but it has failed in getting encouraging response from the business community.

Mohammad Feroz, Vice-Chairman Saddar Alliance of Market Association (SAMA) and President Saddar Cooperative Market, termed the government’s proposal a right step keeping in view very negligible sales and hostile business environment after the assassination of PPP chairperson.

“Shopkeepers have been sitting idle in their shops for hours even in peak business timings. It is better for them to go to their homes early,” he said claiming that his members fully support the proposal of early closure of markets for provision of some relief to residential consumers in electricity outages.

SAMA Senior Vice-Chairman Abdul Samad Khan however opposed the proposal saying that early shop closure is virtually impossible as buyers arrive in the markets in the evening. “This is the season of winter wear buying and foreigners are also seen in Saddar markets,” he said.

The Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) has convened a meeting of small traders on January 16 to discuss the issue to pacify the situation.

KCCI President Shamim Ahmed Shamsi and KCCI Small Traders Committee chairman Abdul Majeed Memon said that the chamber had already conveyed its opposition to the proposal of early market closure and suggested various proposals to the government, the KESC and the policymakers to tackle the situation.

They said that being commercial and business hub the early closure of Karachi markets would deeply affect the trade activity in the whole province.

They urged Sindh Governor Dr Ishrat-ul-Ebad Khan and the caretaker chief minister not to issue orders for early closure of shops and added that the small traders had already suffered huge losses after the Dec 27 incident and business activity had yet not picked up its momentum.

Siddiq Memon, President Tariq Road Traders Action Committee (TRTAC), said that sales had already come down by 60 per cent after the killing of Benazir Bhutto as buyers were still scared to visit the markets.

The peak shopping timings especially for families start from 5.00 to 9.00pm during winter season and from 6.00-10.00pm in summer, he said. “We will protest strongly in case the government tries to pressurise the shopkeepers for early closure,” he added.

He said for the last nine months the markets had been facing long power breakdowns. “The commercial markets in Karachi consume about 70 MW of power daily. Traders can cut down to 35 MW by closing down unnecessary display of lights and signboards. The government should talk to the traders on this issue instead of arbitrarily enforcing the proposal,” he suggested.

Mohammad Rizwan of Rizwan Electronics near Regal said that all the markets remained opened on Saturday night. “The previous efforts of the government to save power by early closure of shops have proved unsuccessful and the fresh proposal will meet the same fate,” he said.

An official in the KESC, who asked not to be named, told Dawn that early market closure can save 80-100 MW and this saving can help in arresting long hours of power breakdowns.

Currently, the metropolitan is facing 100-200 MW shortage during peak business timings.

The KESC official said that the supply of 500 MW power from Wapda to Karachi had been reduced to 300 MW owing to various reasons.

Besides, a power station unit at Bin Qasim which produces 160-170 MW daily is undergoing maintenance and upgradation since the first week of December. “This station will resume its production at any time as work is in last stages,” he said.

He added that a 220 MW Combine Cycle Plant at Bin Qasim is likely to start power generation of 196 MW by April.