KARACHI: Daily life in Karachi and other parts of Sindh remained largely unaffected on Sunday despite a shutter-down and wheel-jam strike announced by the opposition alliance Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP) to mark their protest on the second anniversary of Feb 8, 2024 general elections in the country.

However, police blocked many roads across the city, especially in the areas leading to the Karachi Press Club and Election Commission of Pakistan, to thwart any protest by the opposition alliance or its major component Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI).

Most routine activities continued as usual and no significant disruption was reported in transport or commercial activity in the metropolis.

As Sunday is typically a weekly holiday for many wholesale and retail markets, most major commercial centres were alre­ady shut as part of their normal schedule.

Police put roadblocks in many areas to prevent protest on second anniversary of 2024 elections; Haleem Adil criticises ‘arrest’ of workers

Markets and shopping areas that usually operate on Sundays, including neighbourhood bazaars, shopping streets and select commercial hubs, were seen conducting business as usual, with shopkeepers attending customers and traffic flowing normally.

Public transport services, including buses, rickshaws and ride-hailing services, were also operating without interruption across the city.

Traffic police officials said vehicular movement on major roads remained as usual for a Sunday with no road blocks or any major congestion.

A senior business leader, who requested anonymity, said it was difficult to assess the impact or success of strike calls announced for Sundays. “Most large markets in Karachi remain closed on Sundays, so it’s hard to gauge whether a shutdown is due to a strike or the weekly holiday,” he said.

“From what we have observed today, there was no major impact on business activity or transport, and markets that normally open on Sundays were functioning as usual.”

He added that traders generally preferred stability and continuity of business and that uncertainty created by frequent strike calls did not serve the interests of the city’s economy.

‘Security beefed up due to threats’

However, police said the roadblocks and enhanced security measures were taken against the backdrop of the recent incidents of terrorism in Islamabad, Balochistan and KP.

“Security of important buildings within Red Zone has been tightened and to prevent any threat, security checkpoints and barricades have been raised,” said DIG-South Syed Asad Raza.

He said since the Sindh home department had imposed a ban on all kinds of protests, demonstrations and sit-ins under Section 144 of the criminal procedure code, action would be taken in case of any violations.

PTI claims success

Despite the largely normal situation on the ground, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leaders claimed that the strike received an overwhelming response across Karachi and the rest of Sindh.

In a press statement, PTI Sindh president Haleem Adil Sheikh termed the shutdown “historic” and described it as a peaceful public protest against, what he alleged, “theft of the public mandate” in the February 8, 2024 general elections.

According to the PTI, markets across Karachi and several other cities remained closed, inter-city transport services were suspended and citizens voluntarily stayed indoors to register their protest.

The PTI leaders insisted the strike was entirely peaceful and voluntary, without any coercion or violence.

Haleem Adil Sheikh also criticised police actions, alleging attempts to forcibly reopen markets and the arrest of party workers. He termed such actions political victimisation and said peaceful protest was a constitutional right.

Other PTI leaders, including PTI Karachi President Raja Azhar and Sindh Vice President Rizwan Niazi, claimed that traders and citizens supported the strike and that closures were observed in several localities of the city.

Published in Dawn, February 9th, 2026