KARACHI, May 12: City observed a peaceful strike on Friday on the call given by the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal and backed by other opposition parties.

Public transport remained thin whereas markets and major shopping centres across the city observed a shutdown.

The strike remained completely peaceful as no untoward incident was reported from any part of the city.

The MMA had given a Sindh-wide strike call against the government’s failure in arresting those involved in the Nishtar Park bomb blast, increasing incidents of killing and plunder in Karachi, demolition of old villages, price hike and the repeated increase in POL prices.

The call was endorsed by more than a dozen parties, including PPP, PML-N, JUI-F, JUP, PTI, ANP, and STPP.

Educational institutions generally remained close, but public sector universities were open, though with a thin attendance. Some private schools were opened but a negligible number of students could turn up.

The attendance in various government offices also appeared to be thin and most of the departments at Sindh Secretariat, Accountant General Sindh, etc. wore a deserted look as employees could not make it due to the non-availability of transport means.

Almost all major shopping centres in the city, including Tariq Road, Bahadurabad, Hyderi Market, Golimar’s sanitary market and Electronic Market remained closed since morning. However, after Juma prayers, some shops were seen open in Saddar area.

In the downtown areas, Denso Hall, Jodia Bazaar, Plastic Market and cloth market also remained closed. Similarly, a remarkably low commercial activity in Liaquatabad was observed. Some shopping centres in the Clifton and DHA were, however, open.

Public transport did not appear on roads in the morning and quite a little number of buses, minibuses and coaches were seen packed with passengers, a good number of them sitting on their rooftops. In the absence of minibuses and coaches, rickshaws and taxis proved their utility.

Movement of the private transport increased as the day progressed, though it was thin in the morning.

The Karachi Stock Exchange functioned normally throughout the day. The port activity was affected due to absence of adequate workforce but the strike did not cause much difference. Similarly, banks also functioned normally.

Legal proceedings at courts could not take place on Friday as people could not turn up due to the absence of adequate means of public transport.

The city courts premises gave a deserted look and even stamp vendors did not turn up at their workplaces.

Attendance of court staff also remained thin but judges and judicial magistrate had managed to reach their offices.

The situation at the courts in Malir, Anti-terrorism Courts on Queen’s Road and the Accountability Courts was no different as lawyers and witnesses did not appear before the courts.

However, police produced suspects before the courts of different judicial magistrate for obtaining remands.

Working at different government and private hospitals was also affected by the strike causing problems to the patients who had somehow managed to reach the OPDs, though in a smaller number than normal.

Meanwhile, the University of Karachi, NED University of Engineering and Technology and other higher education institutions remained open.

“Though our students are on a two-day preparation leave from Friday for semester examinations commencing on May 15, we plied five buses in the morning to bring the non-teaching staff to the campus as usual and there was nothing untoward, and the campus remained peaceful,” said KU registrar Prof Rais Alvi.