Citizen have to brave immense difficulties in reaching out their offices, workplaces and other destinations as public and private transport on Thursday remained very thin on major arteries of the city owing to arrival of PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto in Karachi after eight years in self-imposed exile.
Industrial production and business activities in the city also gravely affected due the shortage of workforce, as they could not come up owing to want of public transport, while commodities from the grain markets could not be transported to parts of city.
Transporters attributed the 'disappearance' of public transport from city's roads to the arrival Benazir Bhutto, saying that 60 per cent buses of public transport were booked in advance by PPP to carry their supporters on Thursday to Karachi Airport to award their leader a warm welcome.
Although in the early morning few buses of public transport were seen plying in some areas, but later on these buses also went off the roads. Even private vehicles on city's roads were negligible, as there was fears of insecurity and violence during the PPP welcome rally.
Large number of people were seen waiting for buses at bus stops on Sherea-e-Liaquat, Hasan Square, University Road, Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Sohrab Goth, Abul Hasan Aspahani Road, M.A Jinnah, Site Jauhar Mor, Tower and II Chundrigar.
When asked about the shortage of public transport in the metropolis, Syed Irshad Hussain Shah Bukhari, President Karachi Transport (KTI) said that large numbers of buses were hired by PPP leaders for carrying their worker to Karachi Airport to participate in the welcome rally.
Irhsad further said that the remaining transports opted to remain off the road in fear of being hired by-force for the rally. However, Sherea-e-Faisal, they main artery of the city, remained jam-packed with inter-city and local buses and mini buses, which were taking PPP supporters to Karachi Airport.