A delegation of jewellers community called on Co-ordination Committee of MQM at Khurshid Memorial Hall Azizabad and expressed concern over the situation emerged after KBCA action of sealing the jewellery workshops in Sadar Town, Karachi.
The delegation informed the members of co-ordination committee Haider Abbas Rizvi, Zahid Qureshi, Abdul Khaliq Baloch and MPA Syed Shakir Ali that the action was taken on the directives of City Nazim Naimatullah and Ombudsman Sindh and added that no jewellers` association was contacted or taken into confidence.
They said that City Nazim ordered action on assumption that smoke coming out of the Chimneys was injurious to health and caused Asthma to scores of children of a building.
They clarified that City Nazim during his visit had seen only one broken chimney and added that not a single child was afflicted with Asthma in the aforesaid building.
The delegation termed this step a great excess and informed that 90 percent of the total exported jewellery was manufactured at these workshops of Sadar Town that earned foreign exchange for the country.
The delegation consisting of representatives of Zargaran Welfare Association Karachi, Pak Gold Social Welfare Association, UP Zargaran Welfare Association North Nazimabad and Pak Sarraf Zargaran Action Committee quoted High Court's ruling that KBCA had no authority of sealing any commercial building.
They said that they were in the business since last 40 years and livelihood of thousands of families was associated with these workshops that City Nazim had sealed.
The jewellers said that severe panic prevails among them as this step could push them towards starvation.
The co-ordination committee listened to the plea of traders and workers and assured them of their utmost co-operation in solving their problem.
A large number of jewellery workers and traders who accompanied the delegation were carrying banners and placards inscribed with slogans against City Nazim.