KARACHI: Security barriers and closure of roads due to PPP’s public meeting on Saturday affected businesses around Saddar, Tariq Road, M A Jinnah Road and parts of Sharea Faisal, where most of wholesale and retail markets remained completely closed.

The closures also crippled industrial activities. Many industries could not operate to full production capacity due to low strength of workers and staffers who failed to reach their units in view of lack of public transport which did not operate fully.

A number of CNG and petrol stations also remained shut while goods movement for local and export shipments were hardly made due to fear of any untoward incident. Some export-oriented units decided to call their workers on Sunday to offset Saturday’s loss and meet foreign shipment deadlines.

FB Area Association of Trade and Industry Chairman Jawed Ali Ghori said production in over 2,000 units plunged by 80-90 per cent due to hardly 10pc attendance of workers and staffers.

He added that local and export shipments also did not move as transporters in Karachi and also from the up-country could not arrive.

Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI) President Rashid Ahmed Siddiqui said that production suffered by more than 50pc due to arrival of only 50pc labour living in nearby areas. He said that shipments to local and foreign destinations remained at a standstill.

North Karachi Association of Trade and Industry (NKATI) Chairman Abdul Rasheed Fodderwala said hardly 50pc workers in over 2,000 units marked their attendance owing to lack of public transport. As a result, only 50 per cent production was registered in most of units.

Site Association of Industry Jawed Bilwani Chairman said that industries were open, but some factories were closed.

However, 80pc workers reached their respective units but 60pc owners and management staff went back to their houses early fearing uncertain situation.

SITE Super Highway Association of Trade and Industry Chairman Nisar Ahmed Khan said that 150-200 industries remained open and did their normal businesses.

All Karachi Tajir Itehad Chairman Atiq Mir estimated an overall loss of Rs10-15 billion in view of closure of key wholesale and retail markets.

He also estimated an over 50pc drop in production in many industries, suspension in shipments to local markets and ports and loss in revenue collection to the national kitty.

He said the government departments had been trying to convince market people for the last three days for opening of trade on Oct 18, but traders failed as many of them could not reach their shops due to hurdles. He added that millions of daily-wage earners also suffered.

Atiq said some markets, which were open, faced a sharp drop in their sales due to dearth of buyers.

When asked whether traders will open their shops on Sunday to overcome losses, he said some traders would arrangements in this regard but main wholesale markets would remain closed on Sunday.

Published in Dawn, October 19th, 2014