The city on Friday observed a complete against the publication of blasphemous caricatures. The call was given by Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) and later endorsed and supported by all political parties of opposition besides transporters, traders and different market associations.
The provincial government had also announced closure of schools colleges and other institutions to prevent students from any mishap. Trade activities remained at standstill throughout the day and people who tried to go to their offices found no public transport plying on the roads.
However, a dull trading session was witnessed at Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) where the trading volume was very low, yet the KSE-100 index gained 33.68 points, as if ignoring the strike call. All other traders and transporters had completely closed down their businesses.
Meanwhile, an agitation was created when a protest rally by Imamia Students Organisation (ISO), started from Shah-e-Khurasan through M A Jinnah Road to Karachi Press Club, changed its route and tried to reach the US consulate.
The participants of the rally turned violent when police and other law enforcement agencies tried to stop them. The protestors pelted stones on police, damaging a police mobile van.
The police fired dozens of teargas shells to disperse the rally and detained around four dozen protestors, who were released later from the Artillery Maidan police station.
Besides, hundreds of small protest gatherings were held outside different mosques in the city after Jumma prayers, in which the religious leaders strongly denounced the publishers of caricatures and their governments supporting them and termed it 'an organised conspiracy against the Muslim Ummah'. They also urged the Muslims all over the world to register protests by boycotting European products.
Speakers at the gatherings and rallies said that the western countries had started a planned campaign against Islam and the Holy Prophet (Peace be Upon Him), and it would not be tolerated at any cost by Muslim Ummah.
All major commercial centres, markets and shops etc remained closed in areas including M A Jinnah Road, Saddar, Nazimabad, Burns Road, Mehmoodabad, Orangi Town, Liaquatabad, Banaras, Golimar, Garden, Malir, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Gulstan-e-Johar, Baldia, Ranchore Lines, Garden, Soldier Bazaar, Guru Mandir, Jamshed Quarters, Patel Para, Shah Faisal Colony, North Karachi and other areas of Karachi.
There was no public transport except a few rickshaws and taxis plying on roads. Private cars, motorcycles and other vehicles, however, could be seen on the roads. Owing to absence of buses, attendance in government and private offices was thin.
The law enforcement agencies were on high alert due to the strike call and the Thursday's incident in which a US diplomat and three other people were killed in a powerful suicide bomb blast in 'red security zone'.
The security agencies had beefed up security mainly around the offices of multinational companies, restaurants, banks, consulates etc. Different religious parties and organisations held demonstrations in different areas and streets of the city.
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