KARACHI, Sept 13: Except for a few areas, business went on as usual in the city on Thursday — the day of the strike which was called by nationalist parties to protest over the Sindh People’s Local Government Ordinance 2012.

The call was given by Sindh Bachayo Committee — a common platform of several nationalist parties including, Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz, Sindh Taraqqi Pasand Party, Awami Tehreek and Pakistan People’s Party-Shaheed Bhutto.

However, the parties remained unable to convince traders and transporters to win support for their cause except for the areas in the east district where life came to a grinding halt.

Though the transport and traders’ representatives avoided talking about their stance on the strike — which is a little unusual because they have been observed to back one or the other political party before — they sounded satisfied with the day’s business on the whole.

“Only a few routes were affected and that didn’t affect the transporters’ business much,” said Irshad Bukhari of the Karachi Transport Ittehad. “However, buses began traveling even on the affected routes in the second half of the day.” Ateeq Meer, the chief of All Karachi Tajir Ittehad, corroborated the statement and said that business went on smoothly during the strike.

Commercial activities were suspended in Sachal Goth, Gulshan-e-Hadeed, areas in Korangi Town which and Bin Qasim Town, including Lasi Goth, Chakra Goth, Gabol Goth, Bilawal Colony, Ibrahim Hyderi, Rerhi Goth, Steel Town, Bhens Colony and Pipri.

A few pockets of Lyari also went through the same.