Improved law and order due to Karachi operation: small traders eyeing massive investment

Small traders are hopeful of a massive injection of fresh investment in the city's recovering businesses, as the ongoing clampdown on outlaws by police and rangers is easing the tense environment. "The city is moving gradually to normalcy, as the co-ordinated efforts of police and rangers have provided a sigh of relief and hope to the traders to expand their restricted businesses in the city," traders said on Thursday.
They said that the incidents of extortions and kidnapping of traders for ransom had declined significantly in the last one and half months. "It is a good sign the police and rangers are now taking action together against the outlaws for the last one and a half months to ensure lasting peace in the city," they said. "Police and rangers are in close touch with traders to solve their problems regarding ransom chits and kidnappings, which largely helped the traders attain the confidence for fresh investment in their downsized businesses," said Chairman All Karachi Tajir Ittehad (AKTI) Atiq Mir.
He said that the traders had largely come out of the panic and tense environment they were facing for the last five years, adding that they were now ready to make billion of rupees investment which they had halted for uncertain situation in the city. Regarding sales in markets, he said "the businesses are now doing largely better but sales have not picked up to full-scale since Eidul Azha holidays." After Ashura, the businesses are expected to grow, he said.
"Sales of clothing, shoes and electronic goods are high for the marriage season in the city," he said, adding that the people have just performed expensive animal sacrifices during Eidul Azha and may not rush to markets for ordinary purchasing. Atiq Mir hoped the city's businesses will grow significantly if the police and rangers operation against outlaws continued for at least for a year more. "Results of the operation will be far lasting for trade and city's peace if it is conducted for a longer period," he added.