Fresh wave of target killings has significantly reduced trade and commercial activities during the last two days with traders demanding of the government to enforce emergency rule and hand over the powers to army in the city.
Talking to Business Recorder, chairman of All Karachi Tajir Ittehad, Muhammad Atiq said the law enforcing agencies of the government have failed to control the unending target killings in Karachi and should now transfer the authority to army by declaring state of emergency.
"Increasing incidents of killings, long-hour electricity load shedding, terrorism, panic and worsening law and order situation all are now beyond the government's writ to control," he criticised. He said that city's poor governance has reduced the trade and business activities to a mere 15 percent in the peak summer season. "The city's trade and business activities are fast going towards a bleak future amid increasing lawlessness," he added.
He said traders now prefer pulling out their capital to invest elsewhere in the country, for Karachi's business atmosphere is no longer conducive. He showed fears about joblessness among youth, saying that turning of unemployed men was compelling them to resort to illegal acts to feed their families.
Atiq also slammed direct gunfire at the shops' shutters during a gunfight between two rival groups on Tuesday near Hassan Square. He said that traders were also not safe from terrorism in the present situation in the city. He also opposed the government's abrupt ban on pillion riding, saying that the move would further burden the poor with cost of commuting on daily basis and would rather help the police department bag more bribe from those found violating the order.
"Ban on pillion riding will not help subdue lawlessness in the city and it would do nothing but just create problems for poor class of the society," he said. Showing concerns, Atiq said the power supply system of Karachi Electricity Supply Company was likely to collapse during the monsoon rains and turn the city into complete darkness.
Comments
Comments are closed.