Sit-ins posing hindrances: City administration to decide ban in consultation with Sindh government: Siddiqui

Commissioner of Karachi Shoaib Ahmad Siddiqui said on Monday that the city administration was in consultation with the Sindh government regarding imposing ban on sit-ins that are hindering trade and commercial activities of the city. In a meeting with traders at the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FPCCI), he said that Karachi is the commercial hub of the country and its trade activities were directly linked with the country's progress. Any move that creates trouble for smooth trade would not be tolerated in any cost.
"We are realising the fact that the blockage of roads and sit-inns held by various segments of society time and again were seriously denting the city's commercial as well as social activities. We have conducted a series of talks with the Sindh government administration in this regard and will give good news to the people of Karachi very soon," he added.
"Nothing is there which can not be sorted out on the table," he said, those who have complaints/demands from the government or authorities concerned should prefer to go for table talks rather than taking to roads and holding sit-inns creating trouble for the common man. He assured the traders' representatives to provide his full assistance in resolving issues being faced by the business community of the port city.
We are just focusing on the financial accountability at every level that is not enough at all, he said. He said that one should go for the administrative accountability so that people would not dare to show negligence in fulfilling their duties. The Commissioner of Karachi was of the view that the city's law and order situation was getting improved since the law-enforcement agencies were in close co-ordination among each other to eliminate the menace of crime from the city. The target killing has considerably reduced which good sign for city's peace; however, he said the short term kidnapping which presently at rise was deepening the sense of frustration among the traders.
He asked the FPCCI management to advise traders to stop printing commercial aids on walls and suggest them to adopt alternate and suitable ways for advertising so that the dream of clean and green Karachi would come true.
Shoaib said the city administration with the assistance of a private company was constructing two pedestrian bridges near Karsaz area. He also requested the private sector to contribute its share to develop the city from the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Fund. Earlier, FPCCI Senior Vice President Abdul Raheem Jano indicated various issues being faced by the business community and urged the commissioner to address them accordingly. Chief Executive of Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) S M Munir, Senator Haseeb Khan, FPCCI Vice Presidents Akram Rajput and Shahnawaz Ishtiaq were also present on this occasion.