KARACHI: The business community voluntarily shut down markets on Wednesday to mourn the ghastly massacre in Peshawar.

“I can claim with authority that entire Punjab along with other major cities was completely shut,” said All Pakistan Anjuman-e-Tajiran Chairman Abdul Razzak Babbar.

He said that harldy any member had cared about his loss while keeping business closed on the call of Anjuman-e-Tajiran, whereas many traders pulled down their shutters on their own in protest. “Trade loss does not hold any significance over precious innocent lives.”

Atiq Mir, Chairman of All Karachi Tajir Itehad (AKTI), offered a different view, saying Karachi “was not completely closed”.

He estimated an overall loss of over Rs10 billion due to partial closure of shops in various parts of the country. Karachi’s share was around Rs3bn-Rs4bn, he said.

In Karachi, he said, more than 40 per cent of wholesale trade remained paralysed, while retail markets of various items recorded only 50pc trading activities as wary customers stayed at home despite availability of CNG, petrol and public transport. He said traders closed down their shops on their own.

A survey by Dawn also showed that while most key markets were closed all over the country, shops in residential areas were open along with some markets.

Meanwhile, the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) on Wednesday organised a candlelit vigil, attended by businessmen and industrialists, against the massacre.

President KCCI Iftikhar Ahmed Vohra said although the Peshawar incident sent shock waves through the entire nation, “we all remain united and such cowardly acts cannot deter the resolve and morale of Pakistanis”.

The city’s business community fully supported the ongoing military operation Zarb-e-Azb, he said, and urged all political parties to set aside their differences and unite against terrorism and extremism.

Anjum Nisar, vice-chairman of Businessmen Group and a former KCCI president, asked the government to immediately issue orders for the execution of hundreds of terrorists imprisoned in Pakistani jails.

He further advised the government and the armed forces to devise a stringent strategy to stop infiltration of foreign terrorists into Pakistan, and record strong protests to the embassies concerned if any such thing is proved.

Peshawar incident was “a sheer conspiracy against Pakistan” and the government must adopt a zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism, he said. Nisar also extended KCCI’s full support and assistance to the bereaved families.

Published in Dawn December 18th , 2014