KARACHI, May 14: Around 70-80 per cent of the industrial and business activities in the four main industrial areas of the city were affected by strike call on Friday.

The call was given by Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal against killing of its workers in Wednesday's bye-elections.

Daily supply of goods from the industries to the markets and deliveries of raw materials from upcountry to the industrial units also remained disrupted. All the major markets of the city remained closed all the day.

Majority of the industries witnessed very thin attendance due to thin traffic and violence in various parts of the city.

The current month is now causing sleepless nights to the businessmen whose production activities had remained suspended for eight to 10 days out of total 14 days.

The official holidays from May 1-3, violence in retaliation to Hyderi Mosque blast and holiday for by-elections followed by tension and violence in the city had given a severe blow to the industrial and business activities.

The chairman, Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI), Mian Zahid Hussain said that 80 per cent of the industrial areas remained closed as workers failed to turn up.

There were hardly 20 per cent attendance in majority of the industries in Korangi industrial area due to absence of public transport followed by violence in the various parts of the city.

"I have talked to the Sindh Governor earlier this month to take effective measures to control law and order situation," he said.

The chairman, North Karachi of Trade and Industry (NKATI), Sadiq Mohammad said that 70 per cent of the industries were completely shut due to tension and thin transport, caused by the MMA strike. Only those staffers and labour managed to record their presence who were living in the vicinity of their industrial units. "We have virtually run our industries for only four days in the current month," he said.

He said the association would take up the matter of the deteriorating law and order situation with the president and prime minister, urging them to take cognizance of the serious situation in the city, which is resulting in late shipments of goods to foreign countries and blocking local supplies to the markets.

NKATI members, in an urgent meeting at the office, have urged the president and the prime minister to urgently pay a visit to the city and witness the pathetic situation arising out after bye- elections and Hyderi Mosque incident.

The members said that the government and opposition parties should be bound to avoid politics of violence, stone pelting and closure of roads otherwise the economy of the city would collapse.

Senior Vice Chairman, Site Association of Industry, Dr Mirza Ikhtiar Baig said that only 50 per cent production was registered in the entire Site area where attendance of workers and staffers were recorded 50-55 per cent only.

He said labour force from Shershah and Manghopir opted to stay at home due to stone pelting and closure of roads. He said that the main morning shift starting from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. remained totally inactive due to absence of workers.

Baig said that Rangers and Police kept watching the situations from the sidelines and were absent from the roads which had been blocked. Situation in Site area became tense after Juma prayers. Stone pelting incidents were reported in Site Chowrangi, Banaras and Bara Board while a vehicle was burnt at Valika Chowrangi.

In a situation when city markets are closed transfer of payments get blocked.

Vice Chairman, F.B.Area Association of Trade and Industry (FBATI), Idris Gigi said that 90 per cent of workforce managed to maintain production activities in full thrust by 10-11 a.m. but after that majority of workers had left.

After a brief morning shift production, the production activities in the industries after 12.00 p.m. plunged to only 20 per cent as workers either left for home or Juma prayers. Besides, workers of afternoon shifts remained absent throughout the day, causing massive suspension in production activities, he said.

He said the industrial units as well as export-oriented industries are in a fix whether their targets would be achieved this month or not.

Vice President, Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), Haroon Rashid has expressed serious concern over the law and order situation in the city, which is making very adverse impact on the national economy.

It was shocking that in the bye-elections in a few localities of Karachi, more human lives were lost than in general elections in the whole of India, which has a population of over one billion.

Haroon said that it was very sad that agitational politics has taken deep roots in this city. Calls of strikes every now and then lead to more violence, which is devastating for the economy of Karachi and the country.