KARACHI: Hours after the Muttahida Qaumi Movement ‘appeal’ to traders and transporters to resume business following a two-day shutdown, parts of the city reverberated with gunfire leading to their abrupt closure on Thursday again as the party distanced itself from the fresh episode of violence saying it had ‘nothing to do with miscreants’.

Traders mainly in the central and west districts started pulling down shutters during the second half of the day amid gunfire in Liaquatabad, blocks of North Nazimabad and Federal B. Area, Baldia Town, Shah Faisal Colony and Landhi.

“We received reports of closure of several markets after firing,” said a Karachi Tajir Ittehad spokesman. “The incidents sowed fear among traders and they preferred to pull down shutters but the situation remained normal in most of the areas. The markets which were closed after firing reopened partially after a break of a couple of hours.”

Almost the same ‘break’ was witnessed at most fuel stations as commuters waited in long queues outside the few that remained open. The chaotic situation also affected public transport. Traffic gradually turned thin just hours after the transporters brought the buses on the roads following the two-day suspension of their business amid gunfire.

“After last night announcement the transporters resumed business in a fully-fledged manner,” claimed Irshad Bukhari of the Karachi Transport Ittehad. “Although there was no incident of attack or violence that involved our buses and vehicles, rumours forced a number of our members to stay off the road in second half of the day.”

The MQM on Wednesday ‘appealed’ to traders and transporters to resume their activities in Karachi from Thursday only after a telephone call from Altaf Hussain to his top lieutenants in London.

However, senior MQM leader Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui made it clear that the party would not end its protest at the Numaish traffic intersection and other parts in Sindh.

The confidence of traders and transporters, who resumed their businesses only after MQM appeal, was shaken after the firing incidents which the party believed was aimed at ‘creating unrest and anger in public’.

“Certain elements are trying to spread rumours about MQM founder and leader Altaf Hussain to create unrest and anger in the public,” said the party’s central coordination committee in a statement that came as an immediate reaction to the firing incidents.

“These rumours are untrue and totally false. We appeal to the public to ignore such rumours and maintain their unity and harmony. The MQM coordination committee has advised the public to contact the MQM head office or visit its website www.mqm.org for factual and current updates,” the committee said.

Mr Hussain was still at hospital where he was undergoing medical tests, it stated.

The doctors would make a decision based on results of the medical tests if he was in a position to give ‘interview’ or not, added the statement.

The security administration was also found active after the two-day shutdown as director-general of the Pakistan Rangers, Sindh, Major General Rizwan Akhtar visited several city areas and asked traders not to pay heed to the ‘rumours’. He also vowed ‘stern action’ against miscreants.

“The DG Rangers Sindh visited the old city area this afternoon,” said a Rangers statement. “He visited Timber Market, Furniture Market, commercial areas of Landhi, Korangi, Shah Faisal Colony, Malir Al-Falah, Green Town and met the business community. The DG Rangers assured the business community of their full support and urged the citizens of Karachi to report any lawlessness by the miscreants.”

He also said the Rangers would take stern action against the miscreants to ensure peace in the city.

Published in Dawn, June 6th, 2014